You can call it a doctor’s office on wheels.
Whether you see the OhioHealth North Market Mobile Mammography Unit parked outside office buildings, fairs, or OhioHealth locations, know it’s there for more than just display.
It’s a tight space, but the mobile mammography unit is getting a lot of important work done. It’s saving lives.
Over the last year, the North Market Mobile Mammography Unit has seen more than 900 women across eight counties in the north market.
The goal is to meet women where they are; places of work, schools, and community events. The hope is to make cancer screenings fast and convenient.
“We’re actually doing a really good job getting out in the community and getting those people that would not otherwise have a mammogram or have difficulty getting mammograms,” said Lori Holzworth, Imaging Manager at OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital.
For some of these women, getting mammograms have been so difficult, this was their first one.
According to the director of radiology and cancer services at Mansfield Hospital, nearly 20% of patients received their first breast cancer screening on the truck. That number is three times the rate of new patients seen at Mansfield Hospital.
Mammographer Beth Fetzer says that’s important because that first mammogram is a baseline for the future.
“They’re going to look for differences from your first one to your next one and continually as you do them on a yearly basis looking for really minute changes that will allow us to detect breast cancer sooner,” said Fetzer.
This mobile mammography unit has already detected breast cancer once, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of donors.
Senior Advisor of Philanthropy at the OhioHealth Foundation Erin Stine says this project was completely funded by donors- from one dollar given, to $650,000.
“Just giving people the opportunity to engage and to give where they are, and where they feel comfortable, is really special,” said Stine. “Philanthropy isn’t just for the wealthy. Giving back isn’t just for people with lots and lots of needs. Philanthropy is for anyone that wants to give of themselves or their dollars to make a difference.”
The North Market Mobile Mammography Unit certainly is making a difference. Holzer says they’ll serve more women in rural areas with limited access to health care every week and have no plans of slowing down.
To learn how you can support mobile mammography, click here.
Image by Elías Alarcón from Pixabay
