Mobile Medical Unit travels through Michiana making mammograms easily accessible

The Saint Joseph Health System is making it easier for women to have mammograms done during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A mobile medical office is traveling throughout Michiana and it made the first stop on Monday.

“Breast Cancer’s the most common malignancy in women,” said Doctor Michael Rotkis with the Saint Joseph Health System.

The Saint Joseph Health System and the South Bend Chocolate Company are teaming up to fight breast cancer.

Monday - the first day in a 20-day tour - sweet incentives were offered to women along with a no-wait appointment.

“A lot of patients say ‘well it’s inconvenient, I can’t get a mammogram I don’t have time to schedule it’,” said Dr. Rotkis.

So they’re bringing the medical equipment to the patients.

“The mobile medical unit will come to where they are, someplace that’s more convenient,” said Dr. Rotkis.

“We go from south bend Mishawaka to Elkhart down to Plymouth, Bremen. We’re kinda all around the community,” said Bill Agnew, the Manager of Community and Corporate Wellness with the Saint Joseph Health System.

The process is simple, too.

“We just pull up next to the building and they can come out in about 20/30 minutes have in and out and be done with it rather than taking a whole day or maybe a half of work off,” said Agnew.

Doctors encourage women to get mammograms done sooner than later.

“Patients with early stage breast cancer survive longer and do better than patients with late stage breast cancer and the best way to diagnose that is with screening mammography,” said Dr. Rotkis.

Efforts like this have seen years of success.

“It’s partially due to advances in treatment, but it’s also due to screening programs that were put in place. We’ve seen a dramatic increase and improvement in survival,” said Dr. Rotkis.

The mobile mammogram unit will be traveling to a different location everyday this month. For more information about the medical unit, click here.

To view the Mobile Medical Unit Calendar for October 2016, click here.