START NOW Mammography & Breast Cancer Awareness

Putting Metro East on the Road to Better Breast Health

The START NOW Mammography & Breast Cancer Awareness Services Program at Touchette Regional Hospital is a community-based program that provides breast cancer education and patient navigation services. 

Our goal is to provide education and support to all females and males ages 40 and over in providing continuous care for each individual - from screening mammograms to survivor-ship. To achieve our goal and enable more women and men to receive mammograms, START NOW services are provided regardless of an individual's ability to pay.

Breast Cancer Patient Navigation Services

START NOW provides dedicated treatment navigators to any patient who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Touchette has Patient Navigators and bilingual Patient Navigators to serve women and men throughout the community. Your Navigator offers emotional support at every step in your journey and connects you to additional services:

• Facilitates interaction and communication with, and between, healthcare providers, staff and patients
• Assists with completing paperwork
• Accompanies you to doctor’s appointments and treatment as needed
• Helps you identify and access financial services to pay for services
• Schedules appointments and arranges transportation
• Ensures you receive follow-up treatment in a timely manner if you receive a positive finding
• Tracks interventions and outcomes
• Offers access to translation services

The Need for START NOW

Women and men in low income and under served communities have fewer opportunities to learn about the signs and effects of breast cancer, which ultimately leads to higher mortality rates from the disease. The START NOW Program is designed to adapt to the social issues of health and reduce barriers to care.

For more information about START NOW Mammography & Breast Cancer Awareness Services, please call 618.332.6130.