Upstate University Hospital's Mobile Mammography Van, known as the Mammovan, is celebrating its fifth anniversary.

In five years, the van has traveled 47,000 miles to bring mammograms to women in 12 counties around Central New York. More than 4,000 mammograms have been done on the van and 17 cancers detected.

Even during the pandemic, the Mammovan was put into service as a covid testing site, before heading back out on the road for breast cancer screenings so women could keep their appointments up to date.

“The Upstate Mammography Van is an extension of our clinical care mission throughout Central New York,” said Upstate University Hospital CEO Robert Corona, MBA, DO. “This mobile option for care helps broaden the accessibility of this life-saving screening for women. We are grateful to all our partnership communities for hosting Upstate in this important health care initiative.”

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in New York state. Each year, nearly 16,000 women in New York are newly diagnosed with breast cancer and about 2,500 die from the disease according to the New York State Department of Health.

The mobile health clinic started with a grant from Health Research Inc. and the New York State Department of Health—now supported fully by Upstate—to bring this lifesaving screening to women who, for various reasons, can’t travel to a hospital or facility to obtain one. For example, the van makes frequent trips to Old Forge, where women have to travel at least an hour to find a place to get screened.

Wendy Hunt, program manager, said the van is out on the road an average of four days a week and can see as many as 20 patients per day. The van is equipped with

the same state-of-the-art screening technology found in a clinic setting and images are read by licensed radiologists. The van has a reception area, a changing area, a nursing exam room, and an imaging room.  For patients who have mobility concerns or use a wheelchair, the van has a wheelchair lift.

The van program does clinics at businesses, libraries, community events, American Legion posts, schools, medical offices, churches, fire departments, town halls, community organizations, senior centers, grocery stores, pharmacies, fairs, YMCAs, car dealership, farmers markets, apartment complexes, health departments, colleges, and fitness centers. At the end of August, it will be parked as usual at the New York State Fair for Women’s Day on Aug. 28.

The van helps combat barriers to screening that include transportation. In addition, the van can offer a faster alternative to a traditional setting that may be booking several months out.

Hunt said the van’s goal is to increase the number of women getting screened.

“We have a wonderful team, and they are so great with the people who come on the van,” she said. “Our hope is that it encourages women to come back every year and maybe tell their friends to come with them.”

Patients are encouraged to make an appointment and have an order from a doctor to receive a screening, but if time allows, walk on patients will be permitted.  For patients that do not have a primary care provider to write an order for the screening, the van can give them a one-time order.

The van also now provides at home colon cancer screening kits and during the height of the Covid pandemic was used for mobile covid testing.

Call (315) 464-2588 or visit us at www.upstate.edu/noexcuses for more information or to request an appointment.

For a full list of upcoming screening events, go here.