Free breast cancer screenings will be available at the Pullman Wal-Mart Nov. 8.

The Ford Motor Company Fund and Hope Now International are working with the mobile testing provider HealthFair to give free to low-cost screenings for women in the northwest, according to a Ford Motor Company press release.  

“Some of Ford’s members have been affected by breast cancer,” Ford representative Jenny Yim-Nordquist said. “So it’s important to the company.”  

According to the official HealthFair website, screening or examining the breasts for noticeable changes is important because at the earliest stages, breast cancer has no symptoms. Breast cancer that is caught at its earliest stages of diagnosis increases the survival rates for women. It is also important to remember that many abnormalities found during breast cancer screenings are not cancer, according to the website.  

The 3D Breast Ultrasound System provides accurate 3D images for the visualization of breast abnormalities, regardless of breast density, according to the website. Images take just 60 seconds to capture and the entire appointment takes less than 30 minutes.  

All women are at risk for breast cancer, and as they get older, their risk increases, according to the website. Researchers estimate that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer at some time in their lives. The average woman has about a 12- to 13-percent risk of developing breast cancer in their lifetime.  

The Ford Women’s Health Initiative Mobile Breast Imaging Tour launched in October to coincide with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, according to the press release. The mobile tour will be traveling through the Northwest region with imaging services for women in local communities.  

“Ford is really committed to helping meet the community needs in the northwest region,” Yim-Nordquist said. “Ford is expanding community efforts in the Northwest.”  

The screening tour is the first part of a campaign under Ford Operation Goodwill Northwest to expand Ford’s engagement with local communities in the region, she said. Other events Ford will put on include ones on teen driving safety education and hunger relief. 

During the screening, participants will be involved in a 10-step process, according to the website. The steps include meeting your technician, paperwork, an echocardiogram, an electrocardiogram, a carotid artery ultrasound and an abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound. 

Appointments are required if women are interested in being screened. To arrange an appointment, visit FordWomensHealth.com or call 855-380-TEST (8378).

Screenings will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday Nov. 8 at Wal-Mart located on Harvest Drive in Pullman.