.png)
Lone Star Circle of Care’s mobile mammography unit, the Big Pink Bus, returned to Bastrop this past week for on-site screenings and support.
Lost Pines Toyota on Texas 71 scheduled a stop from the touring breast cancer services facility to provide local women with free or near-free 3D digital screening mammograms, regardless of health insurance status. The pitstop is one of several on the road to the bus’s annual fundraiser in September, the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride.
“We are committed to increasing access and reducing cost barriers to mammography screenings,” said CEO of Lone Star Circle of Care, Jon Calvin.
Traveling throughout seven counties in central Texas, the bus acts as a rouge-colored beacon for women in the area. It delivers potentially life saving early breast cancer detection services to those that need it most, complete with program director, mammography techs, patient navigators and coordinators. The bus partners with ARA Diagnostic Imaging for its mammogram interpretation and record keeping.
Early detection of breast cancer is critical for survival, it leaves those affected with options, instead of being forced into a reactionary course for treatment. It’s recommended that women over 40 set appointments for regular screenings, and the Big Pink Bus makes that process significantly more accessible. Parked right in front of the door, Lone Star Circle of Care offers a sliding fee scale and programs that can completely cover screenings for those without insurance.
The biggest stop for the team arrives on September 16 in Taylor, where the 2023 Texas Mamma Jamma cycling benefit kicks off. The annual ride raises money in support of the life altering automobile, bringing cyclists together for one of the most supported rides in Texas, according to those involved.
Keep up with upcoming bus stops and register for the Mamma Jamma at https://lonestarcares. org/service/ mobile-mammography- big-pink-bus/.
