The St. Cloud Hospital Breast Center is reaching out to patients to bring them the most advanced technology for early breast cancer detection through an updated mobile mammography unit. “This service helps deliver early screening and detection, which can provide peace of mind for some and life-saving intervention for other women in Central Minnesota,” said radiologist Jody Bolton-Smith, M.D., Regional Diagnostic Radiology at St. Cloud Hospital. St. Cloud Hospital Breast Center’s mobile mammography unit provides 3,600 screening mammograms and education to women at more than 20 sites in Central Minnesota annually. The program began in 1985 after seeing the need for access and convenience to mammography screening in and around the St. Cloud area. The screening program strives to reach patients who are medically underserved, elderly and rural women, who would not get an annual screening without the mobile outreach service. CentraCare Health Foundation received a $295,000 gift from the Morgan Family Foundation, a private family foundation based in Yellow Springs, Ohio, to replace the Breast Center’s mobile mammography unit. “The mobile mammography services – like so many others we provide our patients – are made possible through generous gifts from people in the community who partner with us in our fight against breast cancer,” said Mark Larkin, executive director of CentraCare Health Foundation. “Contributions help us provide services such as our mobile mammography unit, in addition to wigs, scarves and turbans, personalized make-up consultations and special yoga classes at little or no cost to our patients. Gifts from the community also fund support groups, classes and educational resources for women and their families.” “We don’t view any of these services as ‘extras,’ ” said Juli Sanner, R.N., Breast Center case manager. “We consider them essential. So do our patients. If you or someone you care about has been affected by breast cancer, you know how important it is to have quick access to cutting edge treatment – and to have wonderful support and compassionate care every step of the way.”
