A mammogram cost Ana García Álvarez about $500. When doctors recommended she return every six months to follow up on a finding from one of her exams, she kept her first appointment. But after everything turned out well, she waited approximately two years before having another mammogram.
The motive was money.
“Because of the price, I didn’t go until two years later,” said García Álvarez, who received medical attention in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
Her experience reflects one of the barriers some women face in accessing screening tests. breast cancerespecially when they do not have sufficient resources to cover the costs.
To help reduce that difficulty, the non-profit organization Project HOPE launched in 2025 a program that offers free mammograms to patients at community clinics in North Carolina.
The initiative began with two clinics and expanded this year to a third location in Elizabeth City, where García Álvarez recently received a free mammogram.
When cost delays care
García Álvarez recalled that during an annual checkup at the health department, something was detected that required a mammogram. Although the subsequent results revealed nothing worrisome, she said, she was advised to return every six months for follow-up.
The first time he paid about $500 through a payment plan.
She went for the next exam, but when they recommended she return six months later, she decided to wait because of the cost.
“It was surprising to me when they told me I could receive that kind of help,” she said of the Project HOPE program. “It was a great help, really.”
The experience also made her think about other women who might be postponing their exams due to financial difficulties or lack of awareness of available services.
“Sometimes you don’t know that these aid programs or services exist,” he noted.
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A program in three communities
Project HOPE The initiative was launched in 2025, in collaboration with the North Carolina Association of Free Clinics and with funding from The Labcorp Charitable Foundation, to expand access to mammograms and strengthen the care capacity of community clinics.
Currently, the program works with three centers: Samaritan Health, in Durham; NeighborHealth, in Raleigh; and a participating clinic in Elizabeth City.
During 2025, when the first two clinics were held, 123 free mammograms were performed, according to Kristin Anderson, Project HOPE's program manager in the United States and technical advisor for the organization.
The Elizabeth City clinic joined in 2026 and the program's goal for this year is to perform 200 free mammograms.
Anderson explained that the cost of these procedures can vary considerably depending on the type of study a patient requires.
According to the estimates she shared, a mammogram can cost between $181 and $315 for an uninsured person in North Carolina. Additional diagnostic tests can increase the costs; for example, a biopsy can cost between $1,400 and $2,000, according to the ranges provided by Anderson.
The program seeks to facilitate access to both mammograms and diagnostic studies for low-income patients.
To receive the services, women must be patients at one of the three participating clinics. These clinics identify the patients and coordinate their access to the tests.
More than just covering the cost of an exam
For Veninga Santacruz Reynoso, another beneficiary, the support not only meant avoiding a medical expense, but also made it easier to get an appointment.
Santacruz Reynoso learned about the program during a visit to the clinic where she receives treatment for diabetes. There, she was asked when her last mammogram had been and offered a free mammogram.
In the past, Santacruz Reynoso had had to ask for financial help to cover her studies. This time, she said, her mammogram results were normal.
“It was a great opportunity not to have to pay for it,” he said.
For her, having access to a Spanish interpreter at the clinic also facilitated the process.
She explained that, although many women know they need a mammogram, getting an appointment and communicating during medical care can be complicated.
“Many times, people do know they need the exam,” she said. However, she noted that difficulties in finding an interpreter, scheduling an appointment, and even fear can make the process seem more complicated than it actually is.
Santacruz Reynoso considered this to be her easiest experience obtaining a mammogram, compared to previous occasions when she had had to request the study through other means.
“Everything is often easier than you imagine when you have the opportunity,” he said.
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Support to continue care
In addition to funding tests, Project HOPE seeks to strengthen the capacity of clinics to support their patients throughout the care process.
Anderson explained that the organization works with the American Cancer Society to provide training and certification in patient navigation to professionals at affiliated clinics.
The initiative includes the participation of 20 professionals, who will receive educational materials and tools to guide their communities on breast cancer.
The program also includes virtual mental health training sessions for healthcare staff, covering topics related to stigma, self-care, and the emotional impact of chronic illnesses.
According to Anderson, some women who received mammograms through the initiative in 2025 have returned this year to continue their exams.
For García Álvarez, knowing that there is help available to cover the cost of a mammogram makes a significant difference compared to the difficulties she faced previously.
That's why she believes it's essential that other women know about these services.
“Many people prefer to wait until the last minute or until it becomes truly worrying to get this type of analysis done,” she said.
Women interested in finding out if they can access the program should contact one of the three participating clinics in Raleigh, Durham or Elizabeth City directly.
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