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A $1,339,077 award will replace the aging Bonnie’s Bus mammography unit and expand mobile breast and lung cancer screening in rural West Virginia. The WVU Cancer Institute project calls for up to 168 screening events a year.
Governor Patrick Morrisey announced the award in an October 26 release. The project would give the program capacity to serve more than 5,300 patients annually, according to the governor’s office.
“Early detection remains one of the most effective ways to improve health outcomes and save lives,” Morrisey said in the release. “As we recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this investment builds on that message by helping bring cancer screenings directly into communities, reducing barriers to care, and making it easier for West Virginians to access preventive services close to home.”
The Morgantown-based unit being replaced has operated since 2017 and is approaching the end of its service life, the release said.
Bonnie’s Bus serves Upshur County, and its next local stop is a Buckhannon visit from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on November 6 at Community Care of Buckhannon, as My Buckhannon previously reported. Appointments can be made at 304-473-5600, ext. 2903.
The award is part of the Connected Care Grid initiative under West Virginia’s Rural Health Transformation Program, which receives federal funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Beyond the vehicle, the project calls for improving electronic health records to find patients due for screenings, upgrading connectivity and helping residents arrange screenings and follow-up care.
“WVU Cancer Institute has built a strong track record of bringing preventive services directly to the communities that need them most,” West Virginia Department of Health Secretary Dr. Arvin Singh said in the release. “This award supports much more than a replacement vehicle. It strengthens a comprehensive statewide system that combines screening, outreach, patient navigation, and technology to help identify cancer earlier and connect patients with care sooner.”
The institute’s mobile screening program has performed more than 40,000 screenings and detected more than 300 cancers since 2009, according to the release.
