The Mobile Clinic for Breast Cancer Survivors

One of the biggest challenges for many breast cancer survivors is to receive the necessary follow up treatments and screenings if they are at a distance from a large city and/or they are under-insured. It was, therefore, extremely exciting to me when I learned of the recent unveiling of a custom-built Mobile Cancer Survivor Clinic.

“Perhaps if we unite in our efforts to pursue these types of programs, the growing number of cancer survivors will be given an opportunity to live an improved quality of life long after their last cancer treatment has been completed.”Barbara Jacoby

This is a first-of-its-kind vehicle that has rolled out in the area of Dallas and will travel to nine counties in northern Texas to serve 15,000 underserved cancer survivors in that area. The trailer contains a 3-D mammography unit, exercise equipment for personal training, two exam rooms and secure telemedicine links to give patients free access to essential follow-up care. This truly represents the ultimate in making a house call and this concept is the perfect solution for so very many survivors in rural areas.

Many of those who have are most in need of these services are those who have difficulties with movement and/or do not have the means of transportation to travel from their homes. They may be working jobs that do not allow them to take time away to receive the treatments that they need. In addition, they might not have the medical insurance to cover the types of services being offer through this mobile unit.

Many of those who have are most in need of these services are those who have difficulties with movement and/or do not have the means of transportation to travel from their homes. They may be working jobs that do not allow them to take time away to receive the treatments that they need. In addition, they might not have the medical insurance to cover the types of services being offer through this mobile unit.

I must point out that this unit is not designed for pre-screenings but only for follow up. Therefore, they have chosen to also offer services that will assist with mental health care and assistance with improved healthy-choice living. The focus on the survivor is a new approach and this endeavor has been funded by a federal grant. Perhaps for the first time, those who are survivors have the feeling that they do matter and that there is more than just surgery, chemo and radiation treatments that are needed. To not only make these services available but also to take them to the people rather than making them available to only those who can travel to them is such a positive step.

This new vehicle will start its travel in April and I am hoping that the information about what is being undertaken here will travel far and wide. The idea of offering these services to those who otherwise would never have access to them is a tribute to this project from the University of Texas Southwestern and its medical center. There are so many rural areas in this country and so many survivors who would never even consider traveling a distance to avail themselves of such services even if they were otherwise available to them. Many survivors face long-term physical and mental challenges with no hope for the kind of care that they truly need and now they will have this option to help them to live lives that provide a better quality for them.

This undertaking is something that needs to have consideration by groups and teams and government agencies everywhere. Perhaps not everyone would be able to afford a million dollar undertaking like this one but perhaps mobile units could be set up to take the trained professionals to underserved areas to provide help with such programs as pain management, healthier eating, exercise and other movement programs and opportunities to help with anxiety and psychological issues that often result from the breast cancer survivorship. It is a new look at and new approach in dealing with after-cancer issues and it definitely is an idea and approach that is long overdue. Perhaps if we unite in our efforts to pursue these types of programs, the growing number of cancer survivors will be given an opportunity to live an improved quality of life long after their last cancer treatment has been completed.