Essentia Expands Mobile Mammography Program for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The healthcare provider is sending their specially outfitted trucks to small, rural communities across Minnesota and North Dakota.

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – With the exception of skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.

By the end of 2025, more than 42,000 women will die from the disease in the U.S.

Getting a mammogram, though, can be incredibly inconvenient for those who live multiple hours away from a major city.

“A lot of our patients, we see, end up driving sometimes 50+ miles for a treatment. And so those patients are also going to end up driving 50+ miles to get a screening done,” explained Sara Anderson, survivorship and community outreach program manager with Essentia’s cancer center.

That’s why Essentia decided – if patients can’t make it to the mammogram – they’ll bring the mammogram to them.

“We’re making sure that we’re providing timely access and care to patients in our rural communities,” said Amanda Behr, diagnostic imaging manager. “We’re committed to serving all of our patients, even if they can’t make the trip to Fargo.”

Their mobile mammography trucks will now travel to nearly 20 communities, such as Pelican Rapids and Bagley in Minnesota, as well as Lisbon in North Dakota.

They’re hoping that this increase in accessibility will be a real factor in saving lives.

Here’s the full travel schedule for Essentia trucks in the month of October:

Oct. 1: Aurora

2: Cloquet and Walker

3: Hibbing and Pine River

6: Deer River and Mahnomen and/or Pelican Rapids

7: Sandstone and Ada

8: Aurora

9: Hayward, WI, and Lisbon or Valley City, ND

10: Hibbing and Valley City, ND

13: International Falls and Walker

14: Hibbing and Bagley

15: Deerwood

16: Cloquet and Walker

17: Hibbing and Pine River

20: Deer River and Mahnomen and/or Pelican Rapids

21: Sandstone and Ada

22: Aurora

23: Hayward, WI, and Valley City, ND

24: Hibbing and Staples

27: International Falls and Walker

28: Hibbing

29: Aurora

30: Cloquet and Walker

31: Hibbing and Pine River