State allocates $1.4 million to replace cancer screening bus

Residents in rural West Virginia will soon have access to a new mobile unit for breast and lung cancer screenings. The state government announced Monday that nearly $1.4 million in federal grants will replace the aging vehicle currently used by the WVU Cancer Institute. This funding addresses the end of the operational life for the existing bus, which has served the state for nearly a decade.

The replacement vehicle will feature updated equipment and improved technology. Governor Patrick Morrisey stated that the new unit aims to expand screening services across the state. The program intends to host up to 168 mobile screening events annually with the new asset. This capacity allows the team to serve more than 5,300 patients each year, increasing the number of residents who can be seen without traveling long distances.

Greg Rosencrance, president and CEO of WVU Medicine Thomas Hospitals, emphasized the need to remove geographic barriers to care. He noted that distance and transportation challenges often impact health outcomes in rural areas. Rosencrance described the initiative as a method to reach people where they live rather than requiring them to travel to fixed facilities. The focus is on improving access through mobility rather than constructing new buildings.

The current vehicle, known as Bonnie’s Bus, has been central to the mobile screening effort since 2009. The WVU Cancer Institute’s program has completed more than 40,000 cancer screenings during that period. The bus has traveled across the state to offer mammograms to patients in communities with limited access to specialized medical equipment. The grant is part of a statewide effort funded by the federal government to improve healthcare availability in rural regions.

The new mobile unit will continue to operate under the WVU Cancer Institute. The funding specifically targets the replacement of the existing infrastructure to ensure continuity of service. The project supports the goal of maintaining high quality care for patients in remote parts of West Virginia.