According to the American Cancer Society, the best defense against cancer is early detection.

To promote breast cancer prevention, a group of mostly women walked from Curves to the Pleasants County Courthouse in Saint Mary's Monday.

The West Virginia Association for Family and Community Education, the Pleasants County Community Education Outreach Services, the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program, and Curves sponsored the event that was complete with free clinical breast exams.

"What people can do to help detect cancer early is to have a clinical breast exam, do self breast exam each month and also have a mammogram every year," said Bettie Lucas, president of the West Virginia Association for Family and Community Education.

Cozy Bradfield, a breast cancer survivor who lost her mother to the said "and so by early detection they were able to save me."

The West Virginia Association for Family and Community Education received a $20,000 grant from the Susan G. Komen Fund.

This grant is paying for free mammograms for low income women.

For more information on the next event, free clinics, and if you qualify for free mammograms call the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening program at 304-422-1515 or log on to the Web site listed below.