Parkland mobile mammogram unit catches early cancer for West Dallas woman

Ann Harrington of West Dallas almost missed her mammogram in 2022. At 45, with no symptoms and clear results from earlier screenings, she was getting ready for a family vacation and had planned to cancel. Jeff Howard, a community development specialist with Parkland, noticed she had not shown up for her slot at the mobile unit parked in West Dallas, so he called her and asked her to come in.

Harrington did not have insurance, and Howard knew how much the free screening meant to her. He told her he would hold a spot and try to get her in right away. The scan found an abnormality, and a biopsy confirmed Stage 1 triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease. Doctors told her she likely would not be alive today had she kept her travel plans and missed the appointment.

Harrington received treatment and counseling at the Moody Center for Breast Health at Parkland, and she is now cancer free. She is sharing her story during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Howard said the community event was one of the top three things he expects to remember from his career. Aida Domingues, a mammogram educator, hopes people hear the story and book their screenings every year.

Parkland's mobile mammography unit serves Dallas County residents who are 40 to 74 years old and have not had a mammogram in the past 12 months. To schedule, call 214-266-3333. The American Cancer Society reports a five-year survival rate of 92% when breast cancer is found at an early, localized stage.

Original reporting by FOX 4's Lori Brown.