$400K raised for Merced hospital’s 3-D mammography system

Mercy Medical Center in Merced will have a “state-of-the-art” 3-D mammography system for breast cancer screenings by the beginning of next year, the Mercy Foundation Board announced after surpassing its fundraising goal at this weekend’s gala.

The Mercy Foundation raised more than $410,000 for a Hologic-brand mammography system at its event themed “La Vie en Rose” (Life in Pink) held at Merced College on Saturday. That’s about $10,000 more than the cost of the system, exceeding organizers’ expectations for the event.

Carla Kelley, the foundation’s board chairwoman, said a 3-D mammography system is not available anywhere in the Merced and Turlock areas. Patients usually have to travel to Modesto or Fresno for a 3-D breast screening.

Robin Reese, lead mammography technologist at Mercy Medical Center, said better technology can help with cancer detection. The new equipment, she said, will be especially beneficial to women with dense breasts, as the 3-D technology allows radiologists to get a more thorough look at different layers of breast tissue.

About a recent study that suggests that breast cancer detection is not significantly better with computer aid, Reese said she doesn’t agree.

“It’s like a CT scan,” Reese said. “We’ll be able to see a lesion more clearly.”

Reese said the hospital has had its current technology since 2006. The new unit and software will allow for the conventional 2-D image and the new 3-D view with one exposure. With more advanced tools for mammograms, Reese also expects the number of unnecessary biopsies to go down.

“We want to take care of patients locally,” Reese said. “Now patients won’t have to leave town for this service.”

“We’ll have the technology that bigger cities have,” she added.

The hospital’s goal is to have the new equipment set up by January.

This fall gala happens every other year. In 2013, the foundation raised $230,000 for its SimLab, a collection of simulation mannequins used for staff training and education.

The family of interactive dolls can simulate births, strokes and other emergency situations.

Last year, the board voted to raise money for the 3-D mammography, Kelley said, because of the need for such equipment in the area.

This year’s event gathered about 650 guests and 71 sponsors. Kelley said board members thought it might take two efforts to raise the $400,000, but were pleased to find they had reached their goal a few days before the gala.

The news also comes with the approach of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, an annual campaign to increase disease awareness and funds for research. While the gala’s funds do not directly benefit research, mammograms, Kelley said, are key in cancer detection.

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 6:07 PM with the headline "$400K raised for Merced hospital’s 3-D mammography system."