The Free Clinic of Danville is helping screen patients who hadn’t been able to get a mammogram before.

In April, the Free Clinic received a one-year, nearly $38,000 grant from the Greater Roanoke Valley Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure to fund about 200 mammograms for its female patients age 40 and older, said Executive Director Patti Schwemer.

“It’s all about early detection and controlling the spread of cancer,” Schwemer said.

The clinic applied for the funding because even with other free screening services available in the area, many of the Free Clinic’s patients had difficulty getting mammograms, she said. According to the Greater Roanoke Valley Affiliate’s 2009 needs assessment, Pittsylvania County is one of the locales with lower screening rates and higher frequency of later stage breast cancers.

Free Clinic patients can use the digital mammography at Danville Diagnostic Imaging Center. Danville Regional Medical Center and DDIC had been doing charity work for clinic patients in the past.

The Free Clinic continues to be in need of volunteers and donations. For more information, call (434) 799-1223, stop by 133 S. Ridge St. or visit http://www.danvillefreeclinic.org.