Motor coach to offer breast cancer screening in Detroit

Sept. 29--For breast cancer survivor Tracey Tilmon-Jackson, her journey began with what she thought was just a nagging cold that wouldn't go away. As her health worsened and she discovered a growth in her breast, she decided to be tested in 2011, but realized she couldn't afford the required testing that would detect cancer.

She lost her health insurance after her husband's employer cut family benefits.

Tilmon-Jackson, a 40-year-old African American, wasn't diagnosed with cancer until early 2012 after she was able to enroll in a program through the St. John Providence Health System -- Because We Care -- that helps uninsured and underinsured women cover medical costs. Because of the care she received, Tilmon-Jackson has been cancer-free since 2012.

"You have to be in charge of your life," she said. You have to be in control. ... I'm not a survivor, I'm a cancer conqueror. I conquered this, and I'm not going back."

St. John health system and Detroit businessman and philanthropist Anthony Soave hope to mimic Tilmon-Jackson's success story by spearheading an initiative that is expected to save the lives of more African-American women through accessible preventative testing and financial assistance.

Soave donated $1 million to the St. John Providence Health System earlier this year to fund a mobile motor coach -- named the Soave Family Mobile Mammography and Health Screening Program -- that will offer free or low-cost breast cancer screenings and other medical tests at churches, community centers and other locations. The motor coach will travel through Detroit neighborhoods later this year.

Detroit women are more likely to die from breast cancer because they are often diagnosed and treated at a later stage in the illness, when lifesaving procedures are already too late, according to hospital officials. According to the American Cancer Society, one out of eight women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death for all women ages 35-50.

African-American women have a lower risk of getting breast cancer, but they have a 41% higher rate of dying from the disease than white women, according to data from the American Cancer Society.

Soave, CEO and founder of Soave Enterprises and donor to St. John Van Elslander Cancer Center, approached the St. John health system about seven months ago and suggested that the health system come up with a way to bring equipment on a truck to women in neighborhoods and community centers that they frequent.

When he found out the health system already had a similar program in place in Cincinnati but had yet to bring it to Michigan, he decided to cover the costs.

"We're very excited about this," said Yale Levin, executive vice president of Soave Enterprises. "This is truly going to be a lifesaver."

The motor coach will be the only one of its kind in southeast Michigan with tomosynthesis technology -- a breakthrough in mammography that uses advanced imaging technology to produce a 3D image of the breast and provides a clearer, more accurate view.

The 3D imaging technology increases the overall detection of breast cancer and reduces the recall rate for screening. Kathy LaRaia, vice president of the St. John Providence Health System Oncology and Weight Management Centers of Excellence, said a patient who is diagnosed with an abnormality will be connected with a nurse navigator to guide her through further diagnostic testing and any necessary treatment.

The mobile unit has two private dressing rooms, with a separate clinical exam room. The staff includes all-female mammography technicians, and all of the images will be interpreted by board-certified radiologists. The women will also have access to the Because We Care program.

Levin said the motor coach won't be available until Thanksgiving and screenings will begin in December. Levin and hospital officials said they plan to reach out to the community to spread the word about the program.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, City Council President Brenda Jones and Councilman Scott Benson toured a demonstration mobile coach last week in front of city hall.

"I spent nine years in a hospital system where we would regularly see women diagnosed with breast cancer at such a late stage that their lives couldn't be saved," Duggan said. "Early detection saves lives. It's a great plan that's been done in other cities. It's very successful, and I'm glad to see it come to Detroit."

Contact Katrease Stafford: kstafford@freepress.com

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