New funding expands free breast cancer screenings in Humboldt County

More than 200 Humboldt County women got mammograms or follow-up imaging they could not otherwise afford last year, and a new grant now keeps that local screening option open through Dec. 31, 2026. The funding from the National Breast Cancer Foundation will let Humboldt Trinity HealthCare continue its partnership with Mad River Community Hospital, where women can get free and low-cost breast screenings close to home instead of putting off care because of cost or distance.

The program covers screening mammograms, diagnostic mammograms and breast ultrasounds for Humboldt County residents age 40 and older who are uninsured or underinsured and meet income guidelines. Hospital officials say the service is first-come, first-served, and patients can contact the Mad River Community Hospital Imaging Department directly. The grant-funded screenings are being done locally with 3D mammography technology.

For a county where rural roads, gas money and appointment availability can all get in the way of preventive care, that matters. Steve Engle, vice chair of Humboldt Trinity HealthCare, said the program is meant to keep women from having to choose between their health and paying rent or buying groceries, and that removing financial barriers helps people get care sooner, when treatment is more likely to succeed.

That timing is critical in breast cancer, which affects about one in eight women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says screening can find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat, and recommends mammograms every two years for women ages 40 to 74 at average risk. Delays can mean a woman does not learn there is a problem until symptoms become severe, which can lead to more complicated and costly treatment.

Mad River Community Hospital says its breast health Women’s Center includes 3D mammography, breast ultrasound, biopsy capability and on-staff general surgeons with specialty training in breast surgery. The Breast and GYN Health Project of Arcata says the grant helps extend those services to uninsured and underinsured women across Humboldt County.

Live Well Humboldt lists the county’s breast cancer incidence rate at 116 cases per 100,000 females, a reminder that even a region in the better half of California counties still faces a real burden. The CDC says its National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program has helped more than 6 million women get breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic and patient-navigation services, underscoring how much early detection depends on access as much as awareness.