Bonnie’s Bus offers mammograms

Will visit Sophia Dec. 14 and Augusta Dec. 16

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Bonnie’s Bus, a digital mammography center on wheels, will visit Raleigh and Hampshire counties, offering digital mammograms and breast care education to women. A service of WVU Healthcare, Bonnie’s Bus will be at Gulf Family Practice/Raleigh County in Sophia from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 14 and at the Hampshire County Health Department in Augusta from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 16.

The mammograms are not free, but billing to insurers is provided.  Women who lack insurance may be matched to government or nonprofit charities. A physician’s order is needed for a mammogram. For a Bonnie’s Bus appointment at Gulf Family Practice/Raleigh County call 304-683-4304 and at the Hampshire County Health Department call 304-496-9640.

During its first year on the road in 2009, the 40-foot long Bonnie’s Bus travelled 9,000 miles, visited 20 counties and provided nearly 400 mammography screenings. The goal for 2010 is to make at least 60 site visits throughout West Virginia with a focus on communities that have high breast cancer mortality rates.

Bonnie’s Bus represents a statewide partnership of women’s groups, clinicians, public health professionals and other community leaders working to help reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer in West Virginia.

Made possible by a generous gift from West Virginia natives Jo and Ben Statler to WVU’s Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, Bonnie’s Bus is operated by WVU Hospitals. The bus is named after Mrs. Statler's late mother, Bonnie Wells Wilson.

For information on Bonnie’s Bus, see www.wvucancer.org/bonnie.

Attention reporters and editors: If you are interested in covering Bonnie’s Bus when it visits your area, please call the HSC News Service in Morgantown at 304-293-7087 in advance. Out of respect for patient privacy, please do not show up at the location without scheduling an appropriate time for interviews and/or photos.