New Women’s Mobile Unit Expands Access to Lifesaving Breast Cancer Screenings

Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic is proud to introduce its newest addition to the mobile fleet: the Women’s Mobile Unit. This state-of-the-art vehicle is equipped with both a private exam room and a digital mammography suite, making it the first of its kind in our mobile care network. Its mission is to reduce breast cancer deaths by bringing essential screening services directly to our communities.

Breast cancer remains the leading cause of death among women. “Women often delay their own care because we’re busy caring for everyone else,” said Maria Benavides, Outreach Program Director. “We don’t put ourselves first.”

This reality contributes to nearly half of women missing their annual breast exams despite the fact that early detection offers a 99% survival rate. The Women’s Mobile Unit is designed to change that. By traveling to underserved areas, it will help increase early detection rates and save lives across the Yakima Valley.

Like our other mobile teams, the staff on this unit bring specialized skills and a passion for community-based care. “We’re looking for people who want a little more adventure,” Benavides added, “we need people who are passionate about health and want to make a difference out in the community.”

The unit will begin its journey by visiting our clinics in Yakima, Toppenish, and Grandview, with plans to expand to additional locations in the future. By offering on-site screenings, we’ll reduce the need for external referrals, improve health outcomes, and save our patients valuable time and money.

“This is more than access, it’s also about access to health and doing what’s right,” said Christy Trotter, CEO of Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic