Expanding Access to Lifesaving Screenings
As communities across Texas observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month, one program is working quietly yet powerfully to make early detection possible for women who might otherwise go without it.
TheTexasCancerScreening, Training, Education, and Prevention program—better known as Texas C-STEP— has announced a major expansion of its no-cost cancer prevention and screening services, thanks to a new threeyear grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). The program operates through Texas A&M Health Family Care, in collaboration with the Texas A&M College of Nursing and the Texas A&M School of Public Health.
Growing to Serve More Texas Communities Since its founding in 2011, Texas C-STEP has worked to remove financial and geographic barriers to cancer screenings. Originally launched with funding for colorectal cancer prevention, the program expanded in 2013 to include women’s health screenings such as mammograms and Pap tests.
With the new CPRIT grant, Texas C-STEP is expanding its service area to include four additional counties—Bastrop, Fayette, Gonzales, and Colorado. This brings the total number of counties served to more than twenty across the Brazos Valley and surrounding regions.
According to Program Coordinator Marivel Sánchez, the new funding builds on years of steady growth: “The new grant expanded into four new counties, as well as added a new service—the HPV vaccine for women age 21 or older who missed the vaccine or did not complete the series,” Sánchez said.
Free Screenings and Prevention for Eligible Women Through its CPRIT-funded initiative, Texas C-STEP provides no-cost cancer prevention and screening services for uninsured adult women with household incomes up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level.
Available services now include: Mammograms Pap tests HPV vaccinations for women 21 and older Fecal Immunochemical Tests (FIT) for colorectal cancer Hepatitis C testing Diagnostic follow-up for breast and cervical cancer Referrals from healthcare providers are encouraged, but self-referrals are welcome, making it easy for women to take charge of their health.
A Proven Record of Impact
Since its inception, Texas C-STEP has provided more than 11,500 clinical services, including over 3,100 mammograms and 3,600 colonoscopies. The program has also delivered direct cancer education to more than 58,000 individuals and reached nearly one million Texans through outreach campaigns, events, and media efforts.
In addition to providing patient care, C-STEP has trained more than 6,300 healthcare professionals— from medical residents to nursepractitionerstudentsand community health workers— helping strengthen the state’s healthcare workforce in cancer prevention and early detection.
Empowering Communities Through Prevention
The success of Texas C-STEP lies not only in its clinical services but also in its community partnerships. Local health agencies, nonprofits, and community health workers (known as promotoras) play a vital role in reaching residents, assisting with scheduling, and helping patients overcome transportation or language barriers.
For many women in rural or underserved communities, these partnerships represent their first connection to preventive health care.
“Community engagement is the backbone of this program,” Sánchez added. “Every referral, every outreach event, and every conversation helps save lives.”
Continuing the Fight Against Breast and Cervical Cancer
Breast Cancer Awareness Month serves as a reminder that early detection can make the difference between life and death. Through free screenings and expanded access to preventive services, Texas C-STEP is making that difference real for thousands of Texas women.
For more information or to learn how to apply for services, residents can contact the Texas C-STEP team at 979-436-0453 (for breast and cervical screenings), 979-436-0499 (for colorectal screenings), or by emailing cstep@tamu.edu
Reporter’s Note: exas C-STEP services are available through the Texas A&M Health Family Care Clinic and partner organizations in Brazos, Burleson, DeWitt, Falls, Freestone, Goliad, Grimes, Houston, Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Madison, Milam, Montgomery, Robertson, Trinity, Walker, Waller, Washington, and— newly added—Bastrop, Fayette, Gonzales, and Colorado counties.