Until recently, if you were getting breast care or breast cancer treatment at UVA, you might have gotten your steps in, too. We offered some breast services in the West Complex. Others were only available in the hospital or the Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center across the street. That could be inconvenient and time-consuming, especially for patients with limited mobility.
That’s changing because our new Breast Care Center opened on October 12. The new location is just off I-64, at 652 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 200. There’s plenty of free parking right outside the entrance. And patients will be able to meet with their entire breast care team there in one appointment. Some providers may see patients virtually through a video connection.
“Before, services were fragmented between different buildings at times,” explains Christiana Brenin, MD, who sees patients with breast cancer. “Now, everything will be under one roof, so it’ll be much easier to access all of those same services in one visit.”
But don’t worry if you’re already getting your mammograms or other breast care at another UVA location such as Zion Crossroads or Northridge. These locations will stay open, and you can continue to get care there.
“At our current screening locations, which are Northridge and Zion Crossroads, there will be no change to those services,” says Carrie Rochman, MD, a radiologist who specializes in breast imaging. “So patients can continue to get their screening mammograms at these locations if they choose. They’ll continue to have access to 3D tomosynthesis, and all of their images will continue to be read by the breast imaging experts at UVA.”
Breast Care Center Services
The center’s services include:
- Mammograms, including tomosynthesis (3D mammograms)
- 3D breast ultrasound
- Infusion, including chemotherapy
- Bone density screening
- Laboratory testing
- Genetic testing and counseling
- A plastic surgery clinic
- Clinical trials
- An outpost of the Flourish Boutique, offering wig-fittings and products to help cancer patients look and feel their best
- Cancer support, including nutrition counseling, social workers, and a survivorship clinic
Get a Breast Cancer Screening
The new center offers mammograms, 3D mammograms, and breast ultrasounds.
“It will really allow the patients to have all of their imaging, doctor’s appointments, all the way down to genetic counseling and wig fittings,” says breast cancer surgeon Shayna Showalter, MD. “And we’re going to be in one space working together, which is really going to be great for patients.”
Breast Care in a Calm, Soothing Location
Beyond convenience, the new center is “really beautiful,” says Rebecca Lewis, clinical liaison for facilities planning. She worked with our breast care and cancer team to pick out the center’s art. She’s excited about the locally-selected artwork, the textured stone wall in the lobby, and the large windows.
“Research tells us that patients who experience nature, whether through art or natural light, have better outcomes,” she says. “They have a better world view toward getting healthy.”
The clinicians wanted a theme that connected Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains with the foothills of Charlottesville. One of Lewis’ colleagues suggested working with Charlottesville Mural Project, which is part of The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative. Local artist Anna Marie DeMio Dowen, with the help of high school student Carissa Jackson, got to work on a Blue Ridge-themed mural that covers three walls of the center.
The remaining art is also coming from Virginia artists. Most are nature-themed: trees in mist, birds, a mountain overlook with the pinks and blues of the morning sky. One of Lewis’ favorites is a layered collage of paper flowers, leaves, branches, and feathers.
See Inside the New Breast Care Center
Dr. Carrie Rochman- One of my favorite things about the new center is the ability to have multidisciplinary care for patients all at one very convenient location.
Dr. Shayna Showalter- So it will really allow the patients to have all of their imaging, doctor's appointments, all the way down to genetic counseling, wigs fittings, all of those things. And we're going to be in one, one space.
Sara Yoder- The quality of care, the ability for different teams to collaborate on a single patient within a single visit or treatment is immense.
Dr. Christiana Brenin- It has ground level parking. Everything will be with an outside facing window. So it's definitely a space that's very bright, that's very positive.
Pat Gaspard- At our new breast center, your registration will be the same place that you come for your appointment. There'll be three people there ready to check you in with privacy.
Dr. Carrie Rochman- The services that will be provided at the new breast care center really encompass all of breast imaging with regards to mammography and ultrasound and imaging-guided biopsies. All of our mammo units are 3D tomosynthesis, digital mammography. We also have multiple units that can offer contrast enhanced mammograms, and we'll continue to offer our ultrasound services as well. At our current screening locations, which are Northridge and Zions Crossroads, there'll be no change to those services. So patients can continue to get their screening mammograms at these locations if they choose. They'll continue to have access to 3D tomosynthesis and all of their images will continue to be read by the breast imaging experts at UVA.
Dr. Shayna Showalter- We are fortunate to have nurse navigators as part of the program at the UVA breast care center. The nurse navigators meet the patient basically at the time of diagnosis and then are with the patients throughout their decision-making process, their treatments really step-by-step with them.
Sara Yoder- We're going to have supportive services such as social work, flourish, lymphedema and physical therapy within the same building. Flourish is a lovely boutique that offers all kinds of services, such as wig fitting and bra fitting and prosthesis fitting.
Maria Muricy- Going through breast cancer treatment can be difficult emotionally sometimes. I offer them counseling, therapy, insurance, if they have questions about Medicare, Medicaid, financial assistance.
Tamara Fisher- There are times when we have patients that need imaging after their infusion or need to meet with the breast surgeon after their infusions. And so now they'll be able to do that.
Dr. Christiana Brenin- We have six infusion beds at the new breast center. They will be for chemotherapy, but they will also be for hydration and for blood products and whatever our patients need.
Kelly Kruis- This is going to change the experience for patients. Most important to me is that comfort, building that team that really starts having almost a family feel.
