Bonnie’s Bus Offers Mammograms Nov. 23 in Buffalo

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The 40-foot long Bonnie’s Bus, a digital mammography center on wheels, will visit Putnam County, offering digital mammograms and breast care education to women. A service of WVU Healthcare, Bonnie’s Bus will be at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Buffalo from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 23.

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. Screenings are only open to employees and their dependents.

During its first year on the road in 2009, 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 the highest 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.hsc.wvu.edu/mbrcc/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 and HIPAA, please do not show up at the location without scheduling an appropriate time for interviews and/or photos.