SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Breast cancer has touched so many lives in our community. A local health center has teamed up to spread awareness and access to early screening.
That’s the focus of an event Wednesday in Lackawanna County.
It is so important to get your annual breast cancer screening, and this mobile clinic not only offers accessibility but, also awareness with one woman just coming to the Wright Center for an appointment, seeing the van in the parking lot, and signing up for her breast cancer screening on Wednesday.
Inside the mobile mammography van, you’ll find all the same X-ray technology found in a hospital.
The van just makes that technology more accessible.
“This is the mammography machine, the patient’s breast would be resting on here and this is the compression paddle that comes down and it flattens out the breast tissue,” explains Judy Busch a mammography technologist.
The Wright Center in conjunction with Lackawanna Mobile X-ray offers this convenient way to to check breasts for breast cancer and other abnormalities.
Mammograms can detect cancer early when most treatable long before it can be felt.
“One in eight women will be diagnosed with some sort of form of breast cancer, the earlier that it can be detected the better the treatment and the outcome,” says Christen Marante associate vice president for Value-Based Performance Programs.
The entire process takes about 15 minutes.
“They tell us that it’s not a long wait time and they otherwise wouldn’t go to have their mammogram done,” added Busch.
Women at average risk for breast cancer should begin regular screening at 45 and follow-up each year until 55.
“I know all of us know someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, so being able to increase access to early screening can help keep all of our moms and grandmoms happy and healthy,” says Marante.
If you missed this mobile clinic on November 15 there is another opportunity for you on Wednesday, December 6, in both Scranton and Jermyn.
Mammograms remain the most effective screening tool to find breast cancer in most women.
You can reserve an appointment at marantec@thewright.org or by contacting Marante at 570-591-5225.
