Pamala Reese, 46, is a busy machine operator and mother of two grown sons. After letting too many years slip by between mammograms, she received one at the Hollings Cancer Center’s mobile health unit, a medically equipped 40-foot RV that stops at her health center in North Charleston.
Her mammogram triggered the need for a biopsy and she subsequently learned she had breast cancer. “It was like someone had just given me a death sentence,” she recalls. Because Reese needed immediate follow-up care, she became part of HCC’s Avon Breast Health Patient Navigation Program. This program helps uninsured, low-income and underserved women receive timely, thorough, top-quality care during breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Patient navigators guide women through the complex health care system, assisting with issues such as: · Completing financial paperwork · Arranging reliable transportation · Scheduling appointments · Providing emotional reassurance The HCC’s mobile health unit and patient navigation program work in tandem to ensure the best outcomes for women. Patient navigator Sylvia Martin supported Reese through an additional biopsy, appointments with the multidisciplinary breast care team and successful breast-sparing surgery to remove the early-stage cancer. “Silvia and the others took care of everything,” says Reese. “They were like my family. I didn’t have to worry about anything – they made my burden much lighter.” Reese is now on long-term medication to help prevent recurrence of her cancer. A recent check-up revealed a clear mammogram. “I feel truly blessed to be here,” she says. “If I had not gotten that mammogram when I did, I don’t know what would have happened. Now I always urge other women to get their mammograms. It’s so important to find out what is going on in your body.” | 
