Mercy’s mobile mammography van marks 25 years on the road

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Mercy Medical Center is celebrating a milestone as a front runner in the early detection of breast cancer.  For 25 years, Mercy's mobile mammography unit has been providing convenient access to mammography services for women in eastern Iowa's rural communities.  The mobile unit has provided breast screening services for more than 50,000 women in its two and a half decades on the road!

Mercy's mobile mammography van first hit the road in the fall of 1986.  It was the first of its kind in eastern Iowa and has remained on the cutting edge, offering the very latest advances in breast screening technology.  In 2007, it became the first mobile unit in the state to offer digital

mammography to patients.

“We remain committed to being the driving force in bringing convenient mammograms to outlying areas of eastern Iowa,” says Lori Santel, nurse manager of Mercy's Women's Center. “The mobile mammography service has allowed medical providers to schedule screenings at a convenient location for their patients. Together with those outlying physicians, we have provided countless women with the tools they need for early detection of breast cancer.”

The mobile unit serves designated communities within a 75-mile radius of Cedar Rapids, stopping in those locations several times a year. Santel says women who live in these areas should contact their health-care provider to set up appointments for yearly screenings.

To set up appointments with Mercy's mobile mammography unit, please contact your family health-care provider. Of course, digital mammography is also offered as a walk-in service, and by appointment, at Mercy Women's Center.  For additional information, contact the Mercy Women's Center at (319) 398-6690.

About Mercy Women's Center

The Mercy Women's Center, located within Mercy Medical Center, offers a distinctive mix of compassion and advanced technology to safeguard hundreds of women's lives each year.  The Women's Center provides comprehensive care, offering access to state-of-the-art equipment for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.  Mercy Women's Center has been named a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR) for mammography, breast ultrasound, ultrasound-guided biopsy, and stereotactic biopsy.  From screenings for breast care and bone health, to a wide range of counseling and referrals, it's all under one roof at Mercy Women's Center.   

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