For over a decade, Christ Community Health Services (CCHS) has provided a mobile mammogram van service through its local partners, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and Baptist Memorial Healthcare.
CCHS uses the mobile mammogram van to offer affordable services to patients and expand their offerings without incurring high costs.
It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, but CCHS allows patients to schedule appointments at each medical center location.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month was initiated in the year 1985 by the American Cancer Society in conjunction with the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). It started as a week-long campaign and had since evolved into a month-long event. Now, the iconic pink ribbon is used across the U.S. to educate people about the importance of early detection, research into the causes of breast cancer, and access to quality care.
The mobile mammogram van procedure takes no more than 15 minutes, and results can take up to 10 days. The service is paid for through the patient's insurance or state-funded programs.
“We play a huge part in early detection because we work with CDC’s [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screen Program (TBCSP). It offers free or low-cost mammograms to women who have low incomes and are uninsured or underinsured,” Adrice Williams, MSN, RN, Director of Care Coordination, said. “It’s very important to do breast self-exams at home to know your breasts and always know your status. Early detection is the key.”
According to breastcancer.org, black women are most likely to die from breast cancer than women of any other racial or ethnic group. This is attributed, in part, to the fact that about 1 in 5 black women is diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, a higher proportion than any other racial or ethnic group (Breast Cancer Statistics, www.breastcancer.org/facts-statistics).
Candy Miller, a patient at Christ Community Health Services, expressed how easy and straightforward the mobile mammogram van experience was compared to hospital visits.
“It was really, really easy, real easy. Don't have to worry about them big old machines like when you go to the hospital even though they don't update it but in there it's really simple.”
To schedule a mammogram appointment, text “PINK” to901-842-1883.
The October Mammography van schedule is as follows:
Monday 10/2/23 | Methodist | Hickory Hill Health Center
Wednesday 10/4/23 | Methodist | Broad Ave. Health Center
Thursday 10/5/23 | Baptist | Raleigh Health Center
Friday 10/6/23 | Baptist | Orange Mound Health Center
Thursday 10/19/23 | Baptist | Broad Ave. Health Center
Friday 10/20/23 | Baptist | Third Street Health Center
Tuesday 10/24/23 | Methodist | Raleigh Health Center
Wednesday 10/25/23 | Methodist | Orange Mound Health Center
Friday 10/27/23 | Methodist | Third Street Health Center
Monday 10/30/23 | Baptist | Hickory Hill Health Center
Monday 10/30/23 | Methodist | Frayser Health Center
The Methodist Mobile Mammography Unit from Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare is shown at Christ Community Health Services' Broad Ave. location, offering mammogram services to patients.