As we head into breast cancer awareness month, we would like to thank the Susan G. Komen Central Virginia Affiliate (Komen) for helping fund our women's Breast Health Initiative.

According to Komen, the most significant barrier to women accessing mammography screenings is lack of health insurance. Komen reports that in 2015, among women ages 40 and older, only 31% of those with no health insurance had a mammogram in the past two years, whereas 68% of those with health insurance did. In addition to health insurance status, many other factors play a role in screening rates, including income level, access to care, awareness of breast cancer risks and screening methods, lack of child care, sick leave, and ability to miss work, fear of results or pain, and cultural and language barriers. At CrossOver, all of our patients experience at least one of these challenges.