DOH OFFERS FREE BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER SCREENINGS FOR WOMEN WHO ARE UNINSURED AND UNABLE TO PAY

HONOLULU - The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) offers free breast and cervical cancer screenings through the Hawaiʻi Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program to women who meet age, income and insurance requirements.* An online form to determine program eligibility is now available. Submissions are reviewed by DOH staff, and applicants are contacted within five to 10 business days. If eligible, women are connected with free screening services.

The screening form is being promoted as part of "Go and Know," a new public service announcement campaign encouraging women to get a mammogram starting at age 40. In Hawaiʻi, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. On average, 1,287 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and 172 die from the disease each year in Hawaiʻi.¹

Mammograms are the most effective way to detect breast cancer early, often up to three years before it can be felt or causes symptoms.² In 2024, approximately 25% of women age 40 and older in Hawaiʻi had not received a mammogram in the previous two years.³

"Life can be busy. If you've been delaying your mammogram, it's important to make time," said Lola Irvin, administrator of the DOH Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division. "Postponing screening may delay life-saving treatment. When found early, the breast cancer survival rate is more than 90%."⁴

The Go and Know - Schedule a Mammogram campaign launched in August and will run through November on television, radio, digital, social media, print and mall advertising.

The public is encouraged to visit mammogram.hawaii.gov to determine eligibility for a free mammogram. Women with health insurance can also use the website to locate a mammogram provider.

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* Eligibility requirements:

1. Age: women age 40 to 64
2. Income: at or below 250% of the federal poverty level
3. Insurance: no health insurance or underinsured
   • Persons are considered underinsured if they are insured, but cannot afford their insurance co-pay or deductible or their insurance plan does not cover cancer screening

¹Cancer at a Glance 2018-2022, Hawai'i Tumor Registry, 2026. Accessed August 5, 2026. (Hawai'i Cancer at a Glance)

²Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About mammograms. September 11, 2024. Accessed August 5, 2026. (Breast Cancer | CDC)

³ National Cancer Institute. State Cancer Profiles. Accessed August 5, 2026. (State Cancer Profiles| NCI)

⁴National Cancer Institute. Breast Cancer Prognosis and Survival Rates. Posted December 2, 2025. Accessed August 5, 2026. (Breast Cancer |NCI)