October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The American Cancer Society estimates there will be nearly 300,000 new cases in 2023 and the disease will claim more than 43,000 lives. This weekend on In Focus, we open a conversation on the importance of early detection and the treatment and support available to women facing a breast cancer diagnosis.

State Sen. Pam Helming sat down with JoDee Kenney to talk about her efforts to expand access to breast cancer screenings. Representing a mainly rural swath of the Finger Lakes region, Helming said she is working to bring mobile mammography units to more women, whether they have insurance coverage or not. The senator said education is another key component and is partnering with the state and Rochester Regional Health to make sure women keep their own health in mind.

You can watch the full interview with State Senator Pam Helming in the video player above. And be sure to tune in for a look inside the biggest issues impacting upstate New York on In Focus with JoDee Kenney — every Sunday on Spectrum News 1.