Neighbors receive free cancer screenings

Early detection saves lives. And at one of several recent community events, more than 100 San Diegans experiencing homelessness received access to free, lifesaving cancer screenings through a partnership between Sharp HealthCare and Father Joe’s Villages.

Held at the Village Health Center in downtown San Diego, the event focused on early detection and prevention for three of the most common cancers: breast, colon and lung. The screenings are part of Sharp’s Community Pillar initiative, which aims to improve access to preventive care and reduce health disparities across underserved communities.

Screening is essential

According to Mallory Guglielmo, community engagement manager at Sharp Coronado Hospital, preventive health care is often out of reach for people experiencing homelessness due to barriers such as transportation challenges, lack of insurance and competing daily needs. Bringing screenings directly to a trusted community setting helped remove those obstacles and meet people where they are.

“We chose to partner with Father Joe’s Villages because we recognize the urgent need to reach underserved communities with lifesaving cancer screenings,” Guglielmo says. “Far too often, individuals experiencing housing insecurity face impossible barriers to basic health care.”

Throughout the day, Sharp caregivers and community partners provided multiple services under one roof, including:

• 31 mammograms for breast cancer screening

• 37 verbal lung cancer risk assessments, with eight participants qualifying for a low-dose lung CT scan at a later date

• 26 returned FIT kits for colon cancer screening

• 21 blood pressure screenings

Removing barriers to care

Cancer screenings are proven to save lives by detecting disease early, when treatment is most effective, and survival rates are highest. By offering multiple screenings in a single visit, events like this address critical health needs while minimizing the burden on participants.

The event was part of a broader, systemwide effort by Sharp to expand access to cancer screening through partnerships with federally qualified health centers and community-based organizations. In fiscal year 2025, Sharp supported 50 community screening events and delivered 1,322 cancer screenings, far exceeding the original goal of 800.

The collaboration with Father Joe’s Villages resulted in the highest number of screenings at a single Sharp community screening event in 2025, reflecting a shared commitment to improving health outcomes for San Diego’s most vulnerable residents. Father Joe’s Villages serves thousands of individuals each year by providing housing, health care and supportive services, while Sharp HealthCare continues to expand access to care through community-based partnerships.

“By bringing these services directly to our neighbors experiencing homelessness, we aim to break down those barriers and ensure access to prevention and early diagnosis — both of which save lives,” Guglielmo says.

Learn more about how Sharp community benefit programs and services support our community.