Mary Jo Granieri kept putting off getting a mammogram because she did not think Anderson Regional Breast Center would be able to accommodate her in a wheelchair.

When she discovered a lump on her breast in July, she knew she could not wait any longer.

“I think I had more apprehension about it in the beginning, but actually getting the mammogram turned out easier and better than I expected,” she said. “I sat in my wheelchair, and they lowered the machine down to my height, and from that point on it was just like when you have a regular mammogram.”

Granieri, who works as an insurance billing specialist for Anderson Regional Medical Center, broke her back as a result of a car accident in 2017. Following surgery to remove a clot that had formed on her spine, she became paralyzed from the waist down.

She now uses a wheelchair to stay mobile.

At some point during doctor’s visits following her accident, her healthcare provider suggested she should get a mammogram since it had been a few years since her last one. But a nurse was not sure if the breast clinic would be able to accommodate her in a wheelchair.

Granieri did not want to try a different clinic, so she kept putting off dealing with a mammogram. When she discovered the lump, she finally had to face it.

“I have always checked myself for lumps because of my family history,” she recalled. “I knew it was lump when I felt it, and I started getting concerned about what am I going to do if I can’t get a mammogram.”

Granieri decided to call Anderson Regional Breast Center directly, where staff told her not only do they see patients in wheelchairs but those who have other types of physical disabilities.

Oftentimes, there is a misconception that people who have a disability may not be able to get a mammogram, said Dr. Amy Coleman, breast imaging radiologist and director of mammography at Anderson Regional Breast Center.

But that is not the case, she noted. The center is equipped to accommodate people who are in wheelchairs, who use regular walkers and rollator walkers, and even those who use knee scooters. They see patients who have been in wheelchairs since birth or from accidents, who have limited arm movement due to strokes, or who have balancing and standing issues.

“Each patient is different, and our technologists are trained to treat each patient with care and compassion and say how can we help you,” Coleman said. “Sometimes we need to get two technologists to help the patient get the positioning for the exam, one to hold them steady and one to get the image.

“It doesn’t take but an extra minute to do,” she added. “We just take each case as it comes and we are certainly able to take care of those patients. They shouldn’t hesitate about coming. It is easy to get in and easy to get out. Our 3D digital imaging makes it very quick, so they are not here for very long.”

Marked, reserved parking spaces are located in front of the main entrance to the breast center so those with limited mobility do not have far to go to enter the building. The entranceway is wide, and the dressing rooms are larger so they can accommodate wheelchairs. Restrooms are handicap accessible. One of the two exam rooms also has a larger doorway and more space within the room for people in wheelchairs.

In addition, the mammography machine is adjustable.

“The machine is adjustable based on a lot of different scenarios, sitting, standing, tall, short, thin, wide. One machine can take care of so many different patients. If someone is standing, it can be adjusted for their body type. If they are sitting, it can be lowered down to the level where you can take the image with them being seated,” she said. “Our technologists are trained to make those adjustments.”

Studies show that women with disabilities are less likely than women without disabilities to have gotten a mammogram during the past two years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Coleman believes a lot of women who do not have easy access put off getting mammograms because they do not want to be a burden to anyone or they think it will be time-consuming.

“They may think it is more of an ordeal than it actually is,” Coleman said. “They may not realize how many patients we do handle who come from personal care homes who have had strokes and who are in wheelchairs and walkers and need that extra bit of attention. It is something we are used to doing.”

Granieri wishes she had not waited so long for her mammogram. She also needed an MRI of the breast for her diagnosis. With help, she was able to lie on the bench and roll over onto her stomach. It took about 45 minutes for the images to be taken but was easier than she thought.

As a result of the imaging, Granieri was diagnosed with Stage 2B breast cancer. The tumor was about the size of a half-dollar and the cancer had spread to a limited number of lymph nodes under her arm.

She elected to have a partial mastectomy so she would not have to go through reconstructive surgery. She did complete in-patient rehabilitation for her left arm especially since she uses a manual wheelchair.

“If I had waited and not gotten the mammogram, there is no telling what would have happened,” said Granieri, who has since received a good prognosis from her treatment. “I don’t want people to shy away because they think it is going to be painful or uncomfortable. It isn’t. If you have ever had a mammogram before, it feels about the same. They were very accommodating to me.”

 

“It doesn’t take but an extra minute to do. We just take each case as it comes and we are certainly able to take care of those patients. They shouldn’t hesitate about coming. It is easy to get in and easy to get out. Our 3D digital imaging makes it very quick, so they are not here for very long.” Dr. Amy Coleman, breast imaging radiologist and director of mammography at Anderson Regional Breast Center