SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – People come to Father Joe’s Villages for many reasons. On Wednesday, Dozens of unhoused folks were able to get free cancer screenings.
"So, obviously the barrier for our neighbors in need is that they are unhoused,” Cecilia Villalpando, Supervisor of Clinical Services at Father Joe’s Villages, “But regardless of their housing situation, they should still get these preventative services done because it's very important to help save their lives.”
Sharp Health Care, which partnered with Father Joe’s, told ABC 10News people were able to get lung, breast, and colon cancer screenings at the Wednesday event.
“We just want to make sure that there are no barriers for folks no matter what their insurance status is,” Ryan Purdy, Director of Community Relations at Sharp Health Care, said. “It's our 2nd year of doing it, and we're hoping between last year and this year that we're up to a few 1000 free cancer screenings.”
Sharp Health Care anticipated nearly 48 people would be screened for cancer.
“It's hard for people to pull out of homelessness if you don't have your health,” Josh Bohannan, Chief Strategy Officer for Father Joe’s Village, said.
An August 2025 report from San Diego County showed the third-leading cause of death in the unhoused community is cancer.
“So events like this aren't just beneficial to the people who are receiving the care, the early screening, it’s beneficial to the entire community,” Bohannan said.
“Because it is so much cheaper for us as taxpayers for people to do the preventative care versus going to the emergency room down the road when they never got that treatment, that checkup earlier on.”
The goal is to make sure people are cared for outside of what’s coming down the pike following the government shutdown.
“Food, housing, healthcare, all of those things are more expensive. And so if you impact any of those three things, you're going to see more people experiencing homelessness and giving up your health because thinking of that doctor's visit down the road versus paying rent today or eating today, that's a choice people will make,” Bohannan said.
“But people need to get their regular checkups. They need their screenings because those health conditions on the road will impact your ability to be self-sufficient in the future.”
