Kentucky experiences some of the highest cancer rates in the nation. Gratefully, many state leaders including Kentucky First Lady Britainy Beshear and Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman have stepped up to be ambassadors for KCP's cancer outreach and survivorship programs.

Preventing cancer before it occurs or detecting it in the earliest stages when treatment may be most effective is the focus of many KCP programs and partnerships. Cancer control specialists provide screening services, education programs and materials. KCP links Kentuckians to cancer screenings available through state and local programs. Call your regional KCP office to find free or low-cost screenings.

This program provides breast and cervical screenings and diagnostic services, professional education, public education, outreach, quality assurance and surveillance. Services are offered by local health departments, federally qualified health centers, and through contracted local health care providers. The program is both state and federally funded and is part of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program of the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. KCP has contracts to help deliver KWCSP services across the state.

Breast Cancer Research and Education Trust Fund supports promising programs in breast cancer education, screening, treatment and programs across the state. The program is funded through tax refund donations and sales of the breast cancer license plate. KCP has been proud to be the recipient of grants to implement prevention and screening programs in select communities.

The Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Program (KCCSP) provides colorectal cancer screening for program eligible Kentucky residents through local health departments, federally qualified health centers, and contracted providers. Individuals ages 45 or older, or uninsured, can call for information 1-877-597-4655.

The Kentucky Lung Cancer Screening Program was recently established to address the high rates of lung cancer in Kentucky and to increase quality lung cancer screening among Kentucky residents. KCP and other partners serve on the Advisory Committee to guide programming, and to administer a free lung cancer screening program for program eligible individuals. The KAAAC coalition also has a seat to ensure equitable access among African Americans and other high risk, underserved populations in the state. 

Mobile mammography is available in Metro Louisville and surrounding counties through UofL Health Brown Cancer Center and KCP. Services are offered to women ages 40 and older with and without health insurance. There is no cost to program eligible women without insurance. Call (502) 852-6318 for information and to schedule an appointment. View Mobile Mammogram Screening Schedule.

Residents across the state have access to multiple, free cancer screenings during the annual Kentucky State Fair. KCP works with partners including the Kentucky Academy of Dermatology, Kentucky Prostate Cancer Coalition, UofL Health, Kentucky Department for Public Health and others to provide breast, skin, prostate, head and neck screenings, along with referrals for colon and lung cancer screening. No appointment needed. Call (502) 852-6318.

Healthy Fathers for Kentucky Families is a program to educate men about prostate cancer screening and to offer free screenings at the Kentucky State Fair. KCP partners with former Lieutenant Governor Steve Henry, Heather French Henry, and the Kentucky Prostate Cancer Coalition to offer these services.

Cancer-Free Families for Kentucky features information on recommended cancer screenings and lifestyle behaviors for cancer prevention and early detection. Materials are disseminated statewide at work sites, community events, health care organizations and other locations. Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman has been an ambassador for Cancer Free Families for Kentucky.

Through the years, several very successful coalitions have been established to address local cancer problems, most notable the Kentucky African Americans Against Cancer, KAAAC, which engaged cancer survivors, health care providers, faith-based representatives, community leaders, and others from 1990 to 2025. Started in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, KAAAC was the longest running coalition in the country, commanding many awards. Today, volunteers continue to take life-saving messages to community members. Also of note is the Louisville and Jefferson County Partnership in Cancer Control, which mobilized health systems to create a network of mobile mammography services in Metro Louisville to reach underserved women.

The Harriett B. Porter Cancer Prevention and Education Endowment was created in 2004 at the UofL Health Brown Cancer Center with a generous gift from Woodford Porter and family to fund cancer prevention and education programs to address disproportionate cancer rates among the most vulnerable citizens in Metro Louisville.

KCP engages communities through partnerships with worksites, churches, social and civic groups, and many others. The Horses and Hope Cancer Screening Van is on the road daily with the support of volunteers, partner organizations and bilingual community health workers to deliver life-saving services. Many special initiatives like Horses and Hope have been created to serve the state's vulnerable populations and signature industries including horse racing, agriculture, hospitality and others.