St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center

St. Joseph’s has a long history of serving the poor and underserved, maintaining the belief that quality healthcare should not be limited to the financially privileged. Thus, the hospital’s Women’s Health Division established a breast cancer screening program nearly 25 years ago for the sole purpose of offering free screening to women-in-need. Women are provided clinical exams and diagnostics as needed and, if warranted, they are guided to a partnering facility for follow-up care. As the city of Phoenix continues to grow faster than any other metropolitan area in the United States, and recognizing that our community has a high population of low-income and uninsured families, St. Joseph’s leaders believe this program to be critical to the health of women of all ages—especially when one considers the fact that breast cancer is highly treatable (even curable) if caught in its earliest stages. In addition, as our community continues to battle the novel coronavirus, and thousands of individuals have lost jobs and insurance coverage, we recognize charitable programs such as this one are more critical than ever to maintain the health of our community.

“Although our community has been greatly impacted by COVID-19, and our hospital is dedicated to treating patients affected by the virus while keeping our caregivers safe, the importance of breast cancer screenings can never be overlooked. We know that early detection is the best defense in treating this disease and ensuring healthier outcomes for patients. Breast cancer doesn’t stop for COVID, and although our Women’s Wellness Center had to stall for a few weeks to prevent the spread of the virus, were opened as soon as it was deemed safe, and we remain vigilant in meeting the needs of our patients. We are proud to partner with the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Mammography Program to serve women-in-need by offering free breast cancer screenings.” — Linda Hunt, CEO, Dignity Health Arizona