The University of Rochester Medical Center is expanding an effort to bring cancer services to people in the Rochester area.
The Cancer Services Program of the Finger Lakes Region grew out of a smaller program at the University of Rochester Medical Center that served only Monroe County.
The New York state health department awarded URMC's Center for Community Health and Prevention a $1.8 million grant to fund the expansion to Seneca, Yates, Wayne, Ontario and Livingston counties. URMC said in a press release that it expects the program to reach more than 700 people in its first year.
Those people, said Nancy Bennet, director of URMC’s Center for Community Health and Prevention, will receive free or low-cost screenings and other services that can increase early cancer detection and save lives. Those services include colon cancer screenings, mammograms, clinical breast exams, pelvic exams and pap tests, the university says.
Mark Taubman, URMC’s CEO, said the program’s expansion is an important step toward ensuring that a person’s finances are not a barrier to health care.
The grant funds the Finger Lakes cancer services program for five years and helps it cover the costs of screening and diagnostic work.
People who need help paying for cancer screenings or services can call the Cancer Services Program of the Finger Lakes Region at 585-224-3070 or visit its website here.
