Fulton County offers free breast cancer screenings
The effort is in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) -Sabrina Harper-Murphy was just 36 years old when she found a lump in her breast during a self-exam. She quickly went to her doctor.
“He told me I was too young for a mammogram, they didn’t start until 40. I insisted that he send me over for a mammogram,” she said.
She was then diagnosed with breast cancer. Details of that day remain fresh in her mind.
“I was getting ready to go on vacation, it was close to my birthday,” she said.
The cancer was in stage two, still treatable. That battle was 16 years ago. Since that day, she’s made it her life’s work to help others detect the disease early. She works as a nurse technician with Fulton County.
“It really feels good for me to be able to help someone. Because I know when I was going through it, I had people who helped me,” said Harper-Murphy.
She is one of many staff members at the Willie J. Freeman Regional Health Center in College Park conducting breast cancer screenings and pap smears. The effort is in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“We do what we call a clinical breast exam and that can be with myself, a nurse practitioner or a doctor,” said Annette Harden-Taylor, nurse practitioner.
If they find an abnormality, the patient gets referred for a mammogram. The screenings are happening Oct.17 and 19 at the College Park location and the North Fulton Regional Health Center in Alpharetta, all free of charge.
“We don’t want money or health insurance to be a hindrance to you coming in to get that breast exam or pap smear,” said Harden-Taylor.
Sabrina Harper-Murphy was able to beat cancer, and she hopes she can help others do the same.
“I just want to help somebody else,” she said.
Screenings are being offered from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. at these two locations:
College Park (Willie J. Freeman) Regional Health Center – October 17
1920 John Wesley Avenue
College Park, Georgia 30337
North Fulton Regional Health Center – October 19
3155 Royal Drive
Alpharetta, GA 30022
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