Breast cancer survivor Hazel Tosh, in the middle, poses with her family in front of the new mammography mobile unit. (Raquel Villatoro/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Christus staff, community members and supporters gathered at Christus Louis and Peaches Heart Hospital on Friday morning for the unveiling of their new mammography mobile unit.

The unit will help them reach more people, especially in rural, smaller counties.

“Screening for early detection is the key to overcoming this disease,” said Anna Pileggi, Christus Trinity Mother Frances Chief Operating Officer. “This allows us to have another coach that’s out routinely everywhere. But this also will help us get through not only Smith County, but Wood, Cherokee, Franklin, Gregg, Rusk and even Henderson County.”

The new mammogram mobile unit started out as a cause for the Christus Trinity Mother Frances Women’s Board. For Women’s Board co-chair Teresa Langley, it was personal as her mom is a cancer survivor. After being approached about it, the board decided to start raising funds because they felt it was important.

“It was a perfect fit,” said Women’s Board co-chair Rebecca Wampler.

The mobile unit is dedicated to Langley’s mom: Hazel Tosh.

“It’s very humbling,” Tosh said about the dedication. “I’m so proud that we could do this.”

Through themed parties, sponsorships and ticket sales, the Women’s Board raised funds for the new mobile unit. It took them over a year to accomplish this.

“Every penny goes directly to our project,” said Wampler. “… We waited for it to be constructed, wrapped, and here it is.”

With the addition of this new mobile unit, Christus will be able to reach an additional 3,600 women per unit. The unit can reach people anywhere, such as where they work.

“It just provides that access, that convenience that women may not have if you’re working, if you have children, or any of those situations where it’s easier to get this care in this mobile situation, where we bring it to you,” Pileggi said.

Tosh, originally from Rusk, would come to Tyler for her doctor visits at Christus Trinity Mother Frances. When she got her mammogram, she went to Christus Ross Breast Center. After being diagnosed with dual carcinoma in situ breast cancer, she went to Texas Oncology in Tyler.

Breast cancer runs in her family, as Tosh lost her mother and sister to breast cancer. In addition, her aunt and cousin had breast cancer. Her cousin, who is 10 months younger than her, was diagnosed around the same time Tosh was.

She underwent radiation while her cousin had more intense treatment. Because of the type of breast cancer Tosh had, it stayed in one area: the milk ducts.

“I was blessed on that one,” Tosh said.

Tosh emphasized the importance of getting checked.

“Get your mammogram,” Tosh said. “Be sure to get checked because if you don’t get checked it’ll keep going.”

Attendees were able to tour the new mobile unit after it was blessed. The unit includes 3D mammography.

“I’m always going to call it this the million dollar baby,” said Robin Rowan, Executive Director at the Christus Trinity Mother Frances Foundation.

During the unveiling, Women’s Board members were asked to stand for recognition. People clapped as Rowan thanked the board for “their commitment to the health and well being of women in this community.”

“I love this work. It’s huge honor to serve,” Wampler said.

The goal of the Women’s Board is to fund critical, often life-saving equipment and programs that ensure the women and children of Northeast Texas receive the best health care possible. Since 2005, the Women’s Board has raised over $4.3 million.