Residents from around the community and the state gathered in Cheyenne Saturday for the 19th annual Wyoming Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

Surveys show that Wyoming’s breast cancer screening rates, like those of other large rural states, are 67 percent versus a national average of 76 percent for women over 40. Rural women face many barriers to the detection and treatment of breast cancer including long distances to screening facilities, difficulty in coordinating care between far-flung healthcare providers and inadequate financial resources.

Komen has long made low-income and uninsured women a priority. The organization has invested more than $1.3 billion to community education, outreach and health programs since 1982, including $93 million last year.

According to a news release, Komen’s Wyoming Affiliate has funded nearly $2.5 million in community grants to support local breast cancer awareness, outreach and education initiatives.

More From KGAB