Mobile Mammography Coach provides easy access to mammograms for women

WARNER ROBINS – The Atrium Health Navicent Mobile Mammography Coach stopped at Deloris Tolliver Park to give women free mammogram screenings on Friday, May 16.

The mobile mammography coach provides advanced screenings on wheels. It is completely run by women, with female drivers and certified radiology technologists specializing in mammography. The coach also has wheelchair access, making it available for women who are disabled.

The mobile mammography coach was launched on Jan. 7 at  Central Georgia Technical College’s Warner Robins campus. Latasha Hill, the Mobile Mammography Program Manager and Breast Imaging Service Line Manager, worked hard to make the mammography coach available in her community.

In 2023, Hill wrote a congressional spending grant through Senator Raphael Warnock’s office and was awarded two million dollars to build the mobile mammography program. 

Hill said the program had two goals: providing mammograms directly to women in rural and underserved areas and providing access to women where they live, work, worship and pray. For example, she mentioned the mobile has been to school systems where teachers can stop, get their mammogram and return to the classroom. 

She shared that she experienced delays during the build process, which included picking out every detail in the coach to make it feminine and cozy. The mobile traveled from Arizona to Georgia and was delivered on Dec. 24, 2024, the perfect Christmas present for Hill and her team. 

The coach has recently served its 500th patient, a huge milestone for the program. 

“If we can detect cancer early, it’s more treatable. So, by getting women on a cycle and bringing this to them, it gives them better access to screening,” she said.

The Houston County NAACP and other organizations contacted Hill about bringing the program to the park. Hill believes it is a prime location and ideal for the community.

“It’s right here in the heart of Warner Robins so it’s easy access for patients to come in today,” she said.

Hill reported community interest while promoting the event, to the point that people called them asking when they could return.

A mammogram is a test of the breast that is done to detect cancer. Hill said mobile coach screenings take about 15 minutes. 

She generally recommends that women have a yearly mammogram, starting at 40, but they are starting to see a diagnosis in younger women. Women can start having a baseline mammogram at 35 years old. Hill has started advising younger women to talk with their doctors, healthcare providers, and get a mammogram if they are eligible.

Hill has heard many myths about mammograms, which create fear. Women may be reluctant to get one because of pain, but she explained that each patient experiences the feeling differently.

Hill believes mammograms are the first line of defense against breast cancer; The earlier the cancer is detected, the more treatable it is. The radiologist can detect mammogram changes with yearly tests, and the patient will be called back for additional testing. 

Additionally, the coach has the latest 3D imaging technology to detect breast cancer earlier than 2D technology.

The coach bridges the access to life-saving care by coming directly to the patient. Hill said there can be challenges, like transportation and requesting time off work, but she hopes to tackle those barriers for women in her community.

“By bringing it right here in the neighborhood where people live and work it’s easy access to care. It helps break down that narrative,” she said.

Hill said anyone interested in scheduling the Atrium Health Navicent Mobile Mammography Coach to visit their workplace or neighborhood can call them at (478) 633-2003. Those interested can also request an appointment at here.