GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The launch of a new mobile cancer screening vehicle seeks to strengthen UF Health’s mission of detecting cancer when it’s most treatable -- early.
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The Mobile Cancer Screening Connector, a 40-foot-long bus touted by the university as the ‘first of its kind,’ will serve a region larger than Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut combined, UF said.
“As a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, this innovative mobile unit will help us reduce the burden of cancer in the expansive area we serve, with a particular focus on rural, aging, and underserved groups, and bring evidence-based health care where it’s needed most,” said Jonathan D. Licht, M.D., director of the UF Health Cancer Center.
By eliminating barriers like transportation and requesting time off from work, UF believes the mobile screening connector will help promote cancer screening, especially for those who may not have originally had access to the service.
Services provided by the connector include screenings for cervical, colon, and prostate cancer, and 3D mammograms. The connector will also try to help residents reduce cancer risk by offering HPV vaccinations and resources to help people quit smoking.
Additionally, UF’s Cancer Center is working with the community and faith-based organizations to create convenient neighborhood spots for people to receive the screenings, with churches, shopping, and community centers being the most likely to host the mobile screening site.
“We will use the connector to reach more people, encouraging community members to get multiple cancer screenings closer to where they live and to bring their friends and family to get screened, too,” said Ramzi Salloum, Ph.D., the Cancer Center’s associate director for community outreach and engagement. “The [bus] will foster meaningful relationships with rural community health providers, allowing UF Health to provide high-quality care beyond its walls.”
The vehicle was funded by a $1.5 million grant from the UF Office of the President‘s “strategic funding initiative” along with matched funds raised by UF’s Cancer Center.