NCH Serves 324 Craig Women With Free Mammograms

Steamboat Springs —The wind off the San Juan Mountains cuts through Craig in late autumn, biting at exposed skin and rattling window frames. It’s a reminder that the valley is shrinking, days getting shorter, and routines shifting as people hunker down for winter. In that quiet, it’s easy to let a physical checkup slide until something hurts.

One in eight women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. That statistic is the anchor for a program that Northwest Colorado Health (NCH) has been running locally, and it’s one that often gets buried under the noise of daily life. The program is simple on paper: free mammograms for women who qualify. In practice, it’s a lifeline for those falling through the cracks of insurance coverage and income limits.

NCH providers offer clinical breast exams to check for lumps or physical changes. They can also help patients schedule a free mammogram through the Women’s Wellness Connection (WWC). The eligibility criteria are specific. A Colorado woman must be between the ages of 40 and 64, have no health insurance, not have had a mammogram in the last 12 months, and meet certain income requirements.

Let’s do the math on local impact. In fiscal year 2025-2026, NCH served 324 local women through this program. That is not a trivial number for a rural health system. It represents 324 neighbors who might have otherwise delayed care due to cost or confusion about coverage. The Craig Daily Press reported on the program’s scope, noting that if abnormalities are found, WWC can help pay for diagnostic screenings and connect patients with treatment resources. For those who don’t quite meet the WWC criteria, NCH Care Managers step in to guide them toward other available resources.

The barrier isn’t just money; it’s awareness. Many women assume they “feel fine,” so a screening is unnecessary. But breast cancer often presents without obvious symptoms until it’s advanced. NCH lists specific warning signs that should prompt a visit to a doctor:

• A new lump in the breast or underarm.
• Thickening or swelling of part of the breast.
• Irritation or dimpling of breast skin.
• Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area.
• Pulling in of the nipple or pain in that area.
• Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
• Any change in the size or shape of the breast.

If you notice any of these, you don’t wait for your annual physical. You call.

For those who are currently insured or over 64, the risk factors remain similar, though the access points differ. NCH suggests that maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and limiting alcohol intake can lower risk. If you are on hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives, the advice is to ask your doctor about the specific risks for your body. For those with a family history of breast cancer, a conversation with a physician about additional risk-reduction strategies is the standard next step.

The broader context here is that NCH positions these screenings as part of a low-cost, integrated health service model. The goal is whole-body health at any age, which includes cervical cancer screening and birth control options like long-acting reversible contraception. But the breast cancer data stands out because of the sheer volume of women it touches in a single fiscal year.

For locals, the practical bottom line is straightforward. If you are 40 to 64, uninsured, and haven’t had a mammogram in the past year, you likely qualify for free screening. If you are insured but worried about cost, or if you fall just outside the WWC income bracket, NCH Care Managers are available to navigate the patchwork of other resources. The cost of inaction is measured in survival rates, which drop significantly when cancer is detected late rather than early. The program exists to close that gap.