ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and health officials say the disease has become more prevalent as younger women continue to be diagnosed with the illness.

That’s why Elizabeth Wende Breast Care offers free mammograms.

They recommend everyone 40 and older get them annually, because the faster breast cancer is diagnosed, the more effective treatment can be.

“The time during COVID really cost a lot of delays for women to get their screening examination,” said Dr. Stamatia Destounis, “So we’ve seen these delays of women coming in that haven’t had a mammogram for two or three years, and those cancers now are larger. So the whole point of coming in yearly is that we have the opportunity to find if there is an abnormality.”

Click here to schedule an appointment.