For women who have difficulty driving to a location to receive medical care, mobile medical vehicles can bring lifesaving screenings and resources directly to places more accessible to them.
To better serve women in the community, particularly uninsured and underinsured women, UTMB Health launched the Mobile Mammography program in 1999. It has provided easier access to breast cancer screenings for women who need them.
[Related: Learn about the recommended screenings for women of all ages.]
The Mobile Mammography program offers women the opportunity to be screened using state-of-the-art technology. The presence of the vehicle in areas highly frequented by women helps to remind everyone of the message that screenings are accessible, and early detection and intervention of breast cancer is vital, senior manager for UTMB’s Breast Imaging Clinical Operations, Rachel Thiesse-Yount said.
“UTMB offers programs that support the goal of helping women in our community gain access to screening mammography services,” she said.
The annual Bra Dazzle event, in collaboration with the Sante Fe Chamber of Commerce, focuses on fundraising to provide for the underinsured or uninsured women in Galveston County. It is vital for women to have access to mammography services because early detection and intervention is paramount.
Each year, there are multiple special events scheduled in the community that collaborate with UTMB to bring the mobile mammography coach to their function.
“In a year, we might log up to 4,000 miles of travel to meet the imaging needs of women,” Thiesse-Yount said. “Last year, UTMB supported 37 special events in the greater Galveston County and surrounding areas, including appearances at Moody Gardens, Tanger Outlet Mall, St. Vincent’s in Galveston, Galveston County Health Fair, churches, schools, realty offices and the Gulf Coast Ford dealership.
Last fiscal year, UTMB’s mobile mammography imaged 450 patients at the community-based special events. UTMB collaborates with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the mobile mammography coach serves the female population at local facilities.
“We also provide access for screening mammography services to our Regional Women’s clinics in Pearland, Conroe, Angleton, Katy, Beaumont and Sugar Land,” Thiesse-Yount said. “This extension of services to the community ensures access to mammograms closer to home. In 2023, the mobile coach imaged over 1,500 women.”
Most of us know someone or have heard of someone in our circle of friends and family who has received a breast cancer diagnosis. We see or learn how detrimental this diagnosis can be and how deeply it affects those fighting, both the patient and family and friends.
The importance of annual screening mammograms cannot be overstated. Waiting should not be an option. Early detection and prevention are critical. Patients may not experience any symptoms and having piece of mind that your breast health is being managed timely can be comforting. The longer women wait and put off that early diagnosis, the more difficult it is to manage.
“You might have no idea that something is wrong -- no pain or symptoms at all,” Thiesse-Yount said. “The calcifications can be tiny, and you wouldn’t be able to feel them yourself. That’s why using mammography to image your tissue is so important. That’s how those calcifications are identified.”
She said some patients might be fearful of the mammogram exam itself, but that breast tissue doesn’t require compression in order to fully assess the breast tissue.
“I would impress upon women to remember the prevention element of this exam. The exam is over very quickly, and it is possible to speak with the mammography technologist to express concerns about the amount of compression being used. There are ways to adjust the compression to obtain excellent image quality all while making your experience as pleasant as possible. Our intention is imaging without pain and minimizing discomfort.”
If a cancer is detected, Thiesse-Yount said UTMB has excellent oncologists and surgeons that will guide a patient’s care. Breast cancer treatments have improved greatly, along with overall survival rates. Finding normalcy after treatment is absolutely possible.
“Women give of themselves so much, and it’s important that we take care of ourselves so we can continue being wives, mothers and grandmothers. The first step is to come and get that screening.”
For uninsured or underinsured patients who would like to schedule a mammogram, contact the coordinator at 832-505-1721.
Click or tap here to learn more about the Mobile Mammography program.