A CDC-funded breast cancer screening program, known in South Dakota as All Women Count, faced sudden and unexpected financial questions recently. However, cancer advocates say they’re not giving up on the program’s future.
For three decades, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program has distributed funding to families in need of proactive tests for some of the most diagnosed cancers.
After a close call, which saw South Dakota’s program All Women Count stop accepting appointments, funding has been renewed.
Ben Hanson is with the American Cancer Society. He said the program shows the value of early detection.
“It’s a world of difference," Hanson said. "Now, unfortunately, there’s not a specific stat that says stage one versus stage four, because every woman is different, you can catch it at different ages, but catching it at stage on, depending where that person’s at, it can often be simple surgery. Whenever cancer metastasizes, that is when you are in life-threatening, dangerous territory.”
For Hanson, that highlights the necessity of these programs nationwide, and All Women Count in South Dakota.
“What I don’t want to do is cede the idea that we are going to lose this program," Hanson said. "I worry about our health care workers, doing this important work, wondering if I can’t be sure quarter-to-quarter that this funding is going to be there, maybe I need to go look somewhere else. Maybe I need to move to another state.”
South Dakota already faces a serious shortage of qualified health care professionals. Hanson said it’s more reason for congressional leaders to go to bat for cancer treatment.
“We’d like to see that communication come out on the federal side, maybe at the request or behest of the federal delegation of folks like Sen. Rounds and Sen. Thune," Hanson said. "Especially given Sen. Thune’s majority leader status.”
While money is expected to return to this program, it is currently unclear if that funding will match previous years.