Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center to Provide Free Cancer Screenings to Northshore Community During October

(Covington, La.) – Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington is providing free, convenient access to a host of cancer screenings during the month of October. Identifying cancers in their earliest stages through screenings can help lead to better outcomes, making it extremely important for the individuals to get screened. In conjunction with the Ben Blanchard Memorial Foundation, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington is hosting its third annual Live Well Northshore event. Live Well Northshore will be Saturday, October 3 starting at 8 a.m., at the Covington Trailhead on North New Hampshire Street. Free cancer screenings will include breast, colorectal, prostate and skin. Appointments are required. For additional information, please visit marybird.org/livewellns. The Cancer Center is also providing breast, colorectal and prostate cancer screenings on October 12 from 9-11 a.m. and 12-2 p.m. at the Shops of 21 Shopping Center, located at 69305 Highway 21, Covington, LA 70433. “More and more we are learning that people are not receiving their recommended cancer screenings due to a lack of time, awareness or other barriers, which can result in cancers going undetected,” says Brittny Costella, early detection specialist for Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington. “At Mary Bird Perkins, we want to ensure the greatest access to early detection services for the best outcome.” All screenings are available to those who have not been screened for cancer in the past 12 months. Appointments are required for all screenings. To make an appointment, please call (985) 276-6810. During COVID-19, the Cancer Center has taken steps to ensure the safety of both participants and staff. A number of practices are in place to ensure the safety of everyone, such as increased frequency of our cleaning and disinfecting practices for high-touch areas and appointments for all screenings to ensure social distancing. All screening participants and staff are required to wear masks. To learn more about the precautions the Cancer Center is taking or to learn more about our community screening program, please visit marybird.org/services/get-screened.   About Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is a regional cancer care organization that has been fighting cancer for almost 50 years. The cancer care organization provides care at nine centers in Baton Rouge, Covington, Hammond, Houma, Gonzales, Zachary and Natchez, Mississippi, and its service area encompasses southeast Louisiana and southwest Mississippi regions. For more information, please visit www.marybird.org.