JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Baptist Health rolled out the “Buddy Bus” Saturday morning in Jacksonville’s Northside to give women access to free mammograms.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Baptist Health is trying to make it easier for women to get screenings as early detection makes all the difference.
“A lot of people don’t have transportation, so the Buddy Bus came to them today,” Lisa Haynes said.
Patients were able to simply walk up and get a free mammogram.
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Natasha Hernandez got her first mammogram on Saturday and is awaiting results.
“It was good. I was scared, I was expecting that maybe it was going to be painful; it was not painful. A little discomfort moving here and there, but it was good,” Natasha Hernandez said.
According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer at some point in their life.
That’s why testing is so important.
Despite being “a little bit anxious” for the process of getting her first mammogram, Hernandez said she is glad she did it.
“Do your mammogram because when catch things early you can survive anything,” Hernandez said.