A mobile mammography program that brings breast cancer screenings to communities across West Virginia, including the Kanawha Valley, is getting a $1.3 million investment to replace an aging vehicle and expand its reach.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Monday, Oct. 26, that the WVU Cancer Institute will receive $1,339,077 through the state's Rural Health Transformation Program to replace the original Bonnie's Bus, which has been in service since 2017.

The announcement comes ahead of the program's next scheduled visit to Clendenin on Thursday, Nov. 5. The mobile unit will offer mammograms from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Clendenin Health Center, 107 Koontz Ave. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 304-548-7272.

Bonnie's Bus provides three-dimensional digital screening mammograms and breast health education, traveling to communities where access to mammography services may be limited.

Since launching in 2009, the program has provided more than 36,750 mammograms and helped detect more than 210 cases of breast cancer, according to the WVU Cancer Institute.

The program also serves women who might otherwise have difficulty paying for screenings. Mammograms are billed to private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid when available. Patients who are uninsured or underinsured may qualify for assistance through the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program.

Uninsured West Virginia women ages 40 and older can receive free mammograms through grant funding and donations, according to WVU Medicine. A physician's order is required.

The new funding will replace the original Morgantown-based Bonnie's Bus, which is nearing the end of its operational life.

The investment follows the launch of a second Bonnie's Bus in April through a partnership between the WVU Cancer Institute and WVU Medicine Thomas Hospitals in Charleston. Replacing the older unit will leave the program with two newer mobile mammography vehicles serving communities across the state.

“Our mobile mammography screening program has allowed us to reach more West Virginians and improve early detection,” Dr. Hannah Hazard-Jenkins, executive chair and director of the WVU Cancer Institute, said in a statement announcing the award.

The funding is part of a broader effort to expand mobile cancer screening services in rural West Virginia. State officials say the initiative could eventually support as many as 168 screening events annually, with the capacity to serve more than 5,300 patients each year.

The investment will also support improvements to electronic health records to help identify patients due for screenings and connect them with follow-up care.

The WVU Cancer Institute operates a separate mobile lung cancer screening unit, known as LUCAS, as part of its statewide screening program.

The award comes through the Connected Care Grid initiative, part of West Virginia's Rural Health Transformation Program, which aims to improve access to medical care in rural communities.

For residents seeking a mammogram closer to home, Bonnie's Bus will make several stops across West Virginia in early November, including visits to Clay County on Nov. 4 and Clendenin on Nov. 5.

A complete schedule of upcoming visits is available through the WVU Cancer Institute's mobile screening program.