Since 2005, Francine’s Friends mobile mammography has traveled throughout northeast Indiana, providing life-saving services for women.
“Mammography gives the ability to detect breast cancers at a much earlier stage,” Alan Yahanda, MD, FACS, president, Parkview Packnett Family Cancer Institute, said. “In doing so, we can then address it much earlier. The beauty of the mammography coach is that it allows us to go out into the community to do those tests and serve underserved populations, especially rural populations or those in the city who may not have ideal access to health care.”
In 2024, Parkview began efforts to replace the original coach. “We'd just really been trying to get the most mileage off the previous vehicle. And unfortunately, the last couple of years we'd had more maintenance. So, we knew that we had to plan for a new coach,” Denise Andorfer, director, Parkview Health Foundation, said. “We were fortunate to have the Kathy Fitzgerald Trust come to us and say, we want to remember Kathy and we'd love her to be honored on the coach. Kathy was one of the founders. So, it really just came together. We're honored to accept the contributions and get women screened. As a breast cancer survivor, it meant even more to me because I know how important it is to catch this in its very early stages.”
See interviews from the dedication ceremony.
Sharon Simmons, former president and co-founder, Francine’s Friends, couldn’t hold back the emotion when she first saw the new mobile mammography unit. “I'll admit it. I got a little teary when I got on the coach,” she said, “because it's just an amazing coach. I can't wait for all the new patients to see it and to be seen. I was a friend of Francine's and she's been gone for 22 years now. To know that her legacy is going to live past that 22 years warms my heart.”
At its unveiling, Lydia Miller, manager, Chaplaincy, Parkview Health, offered the following blessing for the coach:
“We thank you for the founders of Francine's Friends for allowing us to continue the legacy of Francine Schubert. We gather today to ask you to bless Francine's Friends new mobile coach and all who serve on this team. We especially remember in prayer the PFCI breast care and diagnostic teams. The mobile driver and registrar, the mammography team, all of our leadership teams that collaborated and especially to the patients and the community that we serve and have yet to serve. For those who give hands-on care, help them to be gentle as they are invited into intimate, vulnerable spaces to diagnose and treat patients. Just as Jesus used his hands to heal, use the gifts of all present here for healing with grateful hearts. We lift our Francine's Friends, mobile coach team to you in your name we pray. Amen.”
You can find a list of the Francine’s Friends dates and locations here. Call 260-483-1847 to schedule a mammogram with Francine's Friends. Appointments are preferred. Walk-ins are accepted based on availability.
