October is here, and with it comes Breast Cancer Awareness Month — a whole month dedicated to a message we believe every neighbor in DFW should hear: early detection saves lives.

Here is the truth that keeps us up at night at DaisyMe Foundation: breast cancer does not care about your zip code, but your zip code can shape your chances of surviving it. Women in underserved communities are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages — not because the cancer is different, but because getting screened was harder. Cost. Transportation. Time off work. Not knowing where to go or who to ask. These are not small obstacles. They are the barriers we exist to break down.

Screening saves lives — and it does not have to cost you a dime.

A mammogram can find breast cancer up to three years before a lump can be felt. When breast cancer is caught early, the five-year survival rate is about 99%. Let that sink in. Ninety-nine percent. But in Texas, uninsured and underinsured women are far less likely to get screened on time — and that gap is one we can close together.

Free and low-cost mammograms in DFW

You do not need insurance to get screened. Across Dallas-Fort Worth and Texas, programs exist to make mammograms free or low-cost for women who qualify:

• The Texas Breast and Cervical Cancer Services (BCCS) program provides free breast and cervical cancer screening for eligible uninsured women in Texas.
• Parkland Health's Breast Health program in Dallas offers screening and diagnostic services with financial assistance for those who qualify.
• The Bridge Breast Network serves uninsured and underinsured women in North Texas with diagnostic breast services.
• Susan G. Komen's Greater Fort Worth and Dallas County affiliates connect community members to local screening resources and financial support.

If cost, transportation, or paperwork has kept you from scheduling a mammogram, please reach out to us. This is exactly what our care navigators do — we walk alongside you, help you understand your options, and connect you to the resources you are eligible for. No jargon. No judgment. Just neighbors helping neighbors.

What you can do this October

• If you are 40 or older, talk to your doctor about scheduling your annual mammogram — or reach out to one of the programs above.
• If you know someone who keeps putting it off, be the nudge. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is say, "I'll go with you."
• If you want to help, share this post. Awareness is free, and you never know whose life a shared link might change.

At DaisyMe Foundation, we believe every person deserves to understand their own health and to access the care they need — regardless of income, insurance, or background. That is what health equity means. Not someday. Not for some people. For everyone, right here in our community.

This October, let us take care of each other. Schedule the screening. Share the information. And if you need a hand figuring out where to start, we are right here in Frisco — and we will walk with you every step of the way.

DaisyMe Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Dallas-Fort Worth and Texas. All of our health education workshops, care navigation, and advocacy support are free to community members — always.