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Ascension Saint Thomas’s "Mission in Motion" mobile mammogram bus provides vital, free breast cancer screenings to women throughout Middle Tennessee. Since its launch in 2011, the program has performed approximately 25,000 screenings, specifically serving urban and rural communities where patients may lack the time, insurance, or financial resources to seek traditional care. Funded by donations and grants, the service offers these cost-free screenings via both scheduled appointments and walk-ins, ensuring that life-saving preventative health care is accessible to all, regardless of their ability to pay. The mobile mammography bus's mission is made possible by generous donations from the Christy-Houston Foundation and the Ascension Saint Thomas and Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Foundations.
The program's impact is significant, having helped eight women detect breast cancer early last year alone. Beyond the initial free screenings, Ascension Saint Thomas partners with the state Department of Health to provide financial assistance for follow-up diagnostic tests and biopsies, ensuring that those with suspicious results are not left without a path to treatment. Due to high demand, the bus is currently booked through the end of the year, and organizers are seeking donations to purchase a second vehicle to expand their reach and continue promoting early detection.
