Health: Bonnie’s Bus offers a vital service
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There are plenty of reminders everywhere this month about awareness and early detection of cancer. One program that has been helping West Virginians get a jump on cancer since 2009 is finally getting a check-up and some treatment of its own, as more than $1.3 million is being awarded to replace the Bonnie's Bus mobile mammography unit and expand access to breast and lung cancer screenings.
The award from the Connected Care Grid initiative, part of the state's Rural Health Transformation program, supports the work of the West Virginia University mobile screening program -- essential in a state with so many rural and low-access residents, AND one of the highest cancer rates in the country.
The original Bonnie's Bus hit the road in 2017, and has given just about all it's got. A replacement bus will be used for an expanded number of mobile screening events in high-need areas. The goal is to serve more than 5,300 patients per year.
"WVU Cancer Institute has built a strong track record of bringing preventive services directly to the communities that need them most," Dr. Arvin Singh, Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health said. "This award supports much more than a replacement vehicle. It strengthens a comprehensive statewide system that combines screening, outreach, patient navigation, and technology to help identify cancer earlier and connect patients with care sooner."
Accessible, affordable health care options for poorer, rural West Virginians -- who perhaps also have transportation challenges -- aren't easy to come by. Bonnie's Bus and its successor are vital tools for helping get those people the care they need. Even as West Virginia officials and their health care partners work to keep meeting them, the needs are only going to grow unless lawmakers and other public officials figure out how to turn around the ship.
But for now, it is encouraging to know steps such as improvement and expansion of the mobile cancer screening program will help us keep up the fight.