MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Ascension Saint Thomas leadership and other notable Murfressboro community members were among those in attendance at Thursday’s ribbon cutting celebration for Ascension Saint Thomas first 3D mammography bus.

The 44-foot coach is outfitted with an imaging test that creates a three-dimensional picture of the breast. Set to serve 26 counties in the Middle Tennessee area, this coach will contribute to early detection and a reduction in late-stage breast cancer and breast cancer mortality by providing crucial access to screening mammography. 

“Our Mission in Motion program delivers potentially life-saving mammograms to women who might otherwise lack access to this vital service,” said Jennifer Keaton, Regional Director of Operations at Ascension Saint Thomas. “Moving forward, our additional buses will be updated and 3D tomosynthesis capabilities will replace our existing mobile breast-screening technology, in hopes of being more available to women in Middle Tennessee.”



Event speakers included Gordon Ferguson, president and chief executive officer of Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital; Gina DeJean, foundation director of Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital; Jennifer Keaton, Regional Director of Operations of Ascension Medical Group; Patty Marschel, foundation and hospital board member of Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital;  Anne Davis, president of the Christy Houston Foundation; and Kelly Large, mobile health practice manager of Ascension Medical Group Tennessee.

This coach is made possible by the donors to the Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Foundation, The Ascension Saint Thomas Foundation, the Christy Houston Foundation, and through the Our Mission in Motion program, an Ascension Saint Thomas initiative to increase access to breast health services to underserved, uninsured, and low-income patients.

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About Ascension Saint Thomas

In Tennessee, Ascension Saint Thomas operates 10 hospital campuses with an 11th underway, in addition to a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures, medical practices, clinics and rehabilitation facilities that cover a 68-county area and employ more than 10,000 associates. Across the state, Ascension Saint Thomas provided more than $154 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty in fiscal year 2021. Serving Tennessee for 20 years, Ascension is a faith-based health care organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable.

About Ascension

Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization dedicated to transformation through innovation across the continuum of care. As one of the leading non-profit and Catholic health systems in the U.S., Ascension is committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In FY2020, Ascension provided $2.4 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs. Ascension includes more than 160,000 associates and 40,000 aligned providers. The national health system operates more than 2,600 sites of care – including 139 hospitals and more than 40 senior living facilities – in 19 states and the District of Columbia, while providing a variety of services including clinical and network services, venture capital investing, investment management, biomedical engineering, facilities management, risk management, and contracting through Ascension’s own group purchasing organization.