Following the Hillsboro community’s response to a mammography event on Sept. 9, University of Cincinnati Health Mobile Mammography Program Manager Morgan Miller has planned another mammography event for Wednesday, Nov. 13.
The Mobile Mammography unit served 13 women on Sept. 9, Miller said, which meant that all available appointments were filled. Of those 13 women, three were uninsured but received UC Health funding, which covered the full price of their mammograms. The day after the event, four women called UC Health to sign-up for the next Mobile Mammography event in Hillsboro, but at that time there wasn’t another event.
”We were like, ‘Oh shoot, we’re not there again.’ We didn’t expect the response to be this much,” Miller said. “That’s what prompted us to schedule the additional date.”
Miller told The Times-Gazette that Hillsboro’s response to UC Health’s Sept. 9 Mobile Mammography event was the first time she’s seen a community react so enthusiastically.
“This does not happen very often,” Miller said. “I’ve had it happen before, but I’ve never had it happen in a community comparable to Hillsboro. It’s something you see more when we do huge companies. You don’t see as much overflow when you do a community site.”
The Mobile Mammography unit will be back in Hillsboro on Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 1-3 p.m. Patients must schedule an appointment before the event. Mammograms are typically covered 100 percent by insurance. If a patient doesn’t have insurance, there’s still funding available through UC Health, which will cover the cost of the mammogram. Though 40 is the standard age to start getting an annual mammogram, UC Health will see people as young as 35, Miller said. She also told The Times-Gazette that people who live outside Hillsboro are also welcome to schedule mammograms for the event.
“Even if someone has a relative who doesn’t live in Hillsboro — bring your mother, bring your sister, bring your cousin, bring a buddy, anyone who you know hasn’t had their mammogram because we want to save their lives,” Miller said. “Even though it’s posted for the City of Hillsboro, it’s for anyone who could benefit from getting a mammogram.”
Miller said she was excited that all the Sept. 9 appointments were filled and that people continued to reach out after the event. She said that as long as the community wants this type of event, there will be more UC Health events in the future.
“When we have that community support, it makes a huge difference. I want the community to know how grateful we are that they participated and showed up the way they did,” Miller said. “There’s a health gap in Hillsboro. There’s not a lot of hospitals and facilities in the area. If they need it, we’ll there.”
To schedule an appointment with UC Health’s Mobile Mammography unit for Nov. 13, call 513-584-7465.
Reach McKenzie Caldwell at 937-402-2570.
