Regular screening, including mammography, ultrasound and even a breast MRI, can reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer by up to 60%, according to research published in the scientific journal ‘Cancer.’
But Dr. Frank Kolucki, the chief medical officer and an obstetrician at Regional Hospital of Scranton, said that the average wait time from the discovery of a breast lump to getting an appointment could potentially be up to two months.
“Time is not the friend of breast cancer. A delay in diagnosis can lead to death,” Kolucki said.
A new service line at the hospital will aim to decrease those wait times and bring more accessible care to the region.
Moses Taylor Hospital leadership announced a milestone in the hospital’s revitalization — a major investment in a women’s imaging and breast cancer care center from the Moses Taylor Foundation set to open in 2027.
Investing in women’s health
Moses Taylor Foundation President and CEO Danielle Breslin announced the Foundation’s $3.384 million grant in support of the women’s imaging and breast cancer care center during a press conference at the hospital Friday morning. The Foundation is unaffiliated with Moses Taylor Hospital.
“For a woman scheduling a routine mammogram, it means more convenient access to screening for someone facing an unexpected finding. It means a more coordinated and timely path to answers, and if necessary, to treatment,“ Breslin said.
“For those who have had to delay care, travel outside the area, or navigate multiple appointments, it means more comprehensive care closer to home. Early detection matters, timely diagnosis matters, and the experience of navigating care, particularly during a frightening or uncertain time, matters,” she continued.
U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-Luzerne) also requested $3,067,895 from the federal government for Fiscal Year 2027 to support the center. The funding has not yet been approved, but the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies included $2 million for the center in its latest bill, which has passed both the subcommittee and the Appropriations Committee, according to Hannah Pope, a spokesperson for the Congressman.
The center will serve as a one-stop shop for breast cancer prevention and care.
“We moved all of our obstetricians next door, and then we're bringing in a women's imaging center that will start at screening and finish up with advanced breast surgery and whatever else you need,” said Dr. Patrick Conaboy, the CEO of Regional and Moses Taylor Hospitals.
A new era for Commonwealth Health
Regional Hospital of Scranton, Moses Taylor Hospital and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, which all operate under the umbrella of Commonwealth Health, went through several years of uncertainty before their sale to Tenor Health Foundation in February.
Moses Taylor Foundation partnered with other local philanthropic organizations to support the hospitals financially for several months in 2025, prior to the sale.
“I very frequently anymore start with a somewhat rattling on history of how we got here today. I'm not going to do that because I think as of today we're not looking back anymore. We are only looking forward,” Conaboy said.
Now less than a year after the purchase, Commonwealth Health has focused on staff retention, opened a pharmacy in Moses Taylor Hospital and now announced plans for the imaging and breast cancer care center.
Breslin and Commonwealth Health leadership welcomed the good news and see it as a positive sign for the health system’s future.
“For a long time, the conversation was about how to preserve essential healthcare services," Breslin said.
"Today, we have an opportunity to talk about something different, about how we strengthen those services, expand access, and invest in what's next," she added. "That's an important shift and one that's worth recognizing, particularly because today we are focusing on an investment to meet an urgent and critical need facing our community."
Editor’s Note: WVIA News reporter Lydia McFarlane's salary is partially covered by a grant from Moses Taylor Foundation.
