Colbún and the Arturo López Pérez Foundation carried out a mammography initiative that benefited 72 women from Antuco and Quilleco, reducing waiting lists by 30% and bringing early breast cancer detection to mountain communities where access to healthcare is limited.
The public-private alliance between Colbún, the Arturo López Pérez Foundation (FALP), and both mountain municipalities will help reduce waiting lists, deliver exam results in a timely manner, and enable early treatment when anomalies are detected.
72 women from the municipalities of Antuco and Quilleco benefited from a new mammography medical initiative, made possible through the joint work of Colbún, the Arturo López Pérez Foundation, and the two mountain municipalities of the Biobío Region.
According to FALP data, 9 out of 10 women successfully overcome breast cancer when it is detected early, making these initiatives essential for saving lives at a time when the public health system is overwhelmed and waiting lists for these exams continue to grow.
Yenia Baeza, Communities Specialist at Colbún's Biobío Complex, explained that “this alliance between Colbún, the Arturo López Pérez Foundation, and the health departments of Quilleco and Antuco not only helps reduce mammography waiting lists — by delivering results quickly, it enables timely treatment and in many cases saves lives. Being able to contribute to this initiative for our neighboring communities fills us with joy.”
Bernardita Vittini, FALP's Prevention and Early Detection Manager, noted that “partnerships between organizations like Colbún and FALP are essential to make concrete progress in cancer prevention and, in this case, in the early detection of breast cancer. Thanks to this collaborative work, it is possible to bring mammography services to territories where access to healthcare is limited, delivering prevention, early detection, and guidance directly to the community.” She added that these initiatives not only help relieve pressure on the health system, but have a real and direct impact on people's lives — “because early detection can make the difference for timely treatment and save lives.”
The beneficiaries
The public-private collaboration, built through conversations between local authorities and their communities, has successfully channeled the demands of women from Antuco and Quilleco, who have expressed gratitude for the work carried out by the Colbún and FALP alliance.
María Elena Obreque, a resident of Villa Las Rozas in Antuco, described the initiative as spectacular, stating that “I had been waiting about a year to get this exam done and this opportunity came at just the right time — they called me and I came immediately. I must add that it is wonderful, because it is very expensive, and for those who cannot afford it, this is a huge help.”
Antuco Mayor Sandra Bobadilla highlighted the value of these exams for her community, noting that “what we have achieved is bringing the Cesfam of Antuco closer to the women of the municipality so they can have the exam done here, without having to travel to Los Ángeles. With this, we managed to reduce our mammography waiting list by 30%.”
Angélica Gonzáles, a resident of the Canteras area in Quilleco, said that “this is important because you go to the clinic to be referred for a mammogram in Los Ángeles, where there are agreements but no available appointments — and it is very important that every year people start getting their mammograms done.”
Quilleco Mayor Claudio Solar shared this view, noting that these initiatives are essential for the women of his community since “they are strategic actions that serve the well-being of our residents, because without a doubt, prevention is the primary goal of primary healthcare — and this work between FALP, Colbún, and the health departments of our municipalities faithfully fulfills that goal.”
Following the mammograms, carried out in the Arturo López Pérez Foundation's mobile clinic, results will be delivered to patients through their health departments at the Cesfam centers in Quilleco and Antuco.
