乳癌是台灣婦女發生率最高的癌症，而能不能早期發現，往往就是存活與否的分水嶺。臺北市的乳癌標準化發生率每 10 萬名女性高達 87 人，明顯高於全國平均的 69 人；可貴的是，臺北市婦女的兩年乳房攝影利用率達 42.1%——這代表「願不願意來篩檢」從來不是問題，真正讓人揪心的，是篩檢之後那一段斷掉的路。

臺北市立聯合醫院婦幼院區每年完成約 5,300 次乳房攝影，但最終只有約四成、約 2,120 名婦女接著完成乳房超音波；能在「同一天」一站式做完攝影與超音波的，更只有約 16%。換句話說，每年有近 3,180 名婦女在流程中途中斷，其中不少人被安排改天回診後，就再也沒有回來。

被這道斷點犧牲最多的，往往是最沒有條件「再跑一趟」的人：低收入戶、身心障礙者、家庭照顧者、請假就扣薪的勞動婦女。對她們來說，多出來的一次回診，可能就是一次被放棄的篩檢。

而這道斷點的根源，不是醫院沒有意願、也不是婦女不願意，而是卡在一個很具體的瓶頸——乳房超音波探頭不足。婦幼院區已備有 GE Voluson 主機、專業人力也即將到位，唯獨可用的探頭數量跟不上篩檢需求。公立醫院循自有預算採購這類設備往往要等約兩年，而透過扶輪全球獎助金捐贈，約 90 天即可到位。這兩年的時間差，足以讓約 7,000 名婦女提早被接住。

忠躍補上的，不只是 3 支探頭

忠躍與國際夥伴社共同申請國際扶輪全球獎助金，捐贈 3 支 GE Voluson 乳房超音波探頭，搭配婦幼院區既有主機，把可同時運作的乳房超音波設備從 2 台增加到 5 台。

但這個計畫從來不只是「捐設備」。它要補上的，是一整條服務的銜接：

  • 設備到位：讓「乳房攝影 → 同日乳房超音波」一站式完成成為常態；

  • 流程改造：建立「篩檢異常當天即轉介乳房外科門診」的綠色通道，把「篩檢異常到確診」從原本的 7～30 天，壓縮到最快 1 天內；

  • 院內銜接：從篩檢、診斷到手術、化療與追蹤，都在同一院區接續完成，讓弱勢婦女不再因為轉院、二次回診而流失。


看得見、可檢驗的目標

善款用得好不好，要拿得出數字。這個計畫設定明確的成效目標，並由婦幼院區負責持續蒐集、定期回報：

  • 同日一站式完成率：由約 16% → 50% 以上；

  • 年乳房超音波篩檢量：由約 5,300 人次 → 7,000 人次，長期邁向 10,000 人次；

  • 篩檢安排後的回診流失率：持續往下降。


永續：把能力留在當地

全球獎助金的精神，不是給一次性的幫助，而是留下能自己長久運轉的能力。探頭交付後即屬婦幼院區所有，由院方負責操作、維護與後續耗材，醫師與技術人員的訓練也一併到位。扶輪移走了瓶頸，剩下的服務交給醫院長長久久地接手——忠躍想做的不是替醫院做一天，而是讓醫院能多照顧婦女好多年。

忠躍社友，不只是出錢

這更不是一筆「捐了就結束」的款項。忠躍每年舉辦 1～2 次忠躍冠名社區乳篩醫療日，配合 5 月母親節前後與 10 月國際乳癌防治月，在婦幼院區結合門診動線，提供乳房攝影、乳房超音波一站式篩檢、衛教攤位與乳房外科醫師諮詢。忠躍及友社社友親自到場協助宣導指引，女性社友更帶頭示範接受檢查——用行動告訴更多婦女：篩檢不可怕，你值得被好好照顧。

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Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Taiwan, and early detection can make a decisive difference in survival and treatment outcomes. In Taipei, the age-standardized incidence rate of breast cancer is 87 per 100,000 women, significantly higher than the national average of 69. At the same time, Taipei’s two-year mammography utilization rate has reached 42.1%. This shows that willingness to receive screening is not the core problem. The more urgent gap lies in what happens after screening.

The Women and Children’s Branch of Taipei City Hospital performs approximately 5,300 mammography screenings each year. However, only about 40%, or around 2,120 women, go on to complete a breast ultrasound examination. Even fewer—only about 16%—are able to complete mammography and breast ultrasound on the same day through a one-stop process. In other words, nearly 3,180 women each year may be interrupted somewhere along the follow-up pathway. For some, once they are asked to return on another day, they never come back.

The women most affected by this gap are often those with the least ability to make another hospital visit: low-income women, people with disabilities, family caregivers, and working women whose wages may be reduced if they take time off. For them, one additional appointment can be enough to interrupt the screening process.

The root cause is not a lack of commitment from the hospital, nor a lack of willingness from women. It is a very specific capacity bottleneck: an insufficient number of breast ultrasound probes. The Women and Children’s Branch already has GE Voluson ultrasound systems, and the professional team is ready to provide care. What is missing is enough probes to meet the demand created by screening. If the hospital were to purchase this equipment through its own public budget process, it could take approximately two years. Through a Rotary Global Grant donation, the equipment can be in place in about 90 days. That time difference could allow approximately 7,000 women to be reached earlier.

Taipei Blaze is helping bridge more than an equipment gap

Together with international Rotary partners, the Rotary Club of Taipei Blaze applied for a Rotary Global Grant to donate three GE Voluson breast ultrasound probes to the Women and Children’s Branch of Taipei City Hospital. Used with the hospital’s existing machines, the donation will increase the number of breast ultrasound units that can operate at the same time from two to five.

But this project is not only about donating equipment. It is about strengthening an entire pathway of care:

  • Equipment capacity: making same-day mammography followed by breast ultrasound a more achievable standard process;

  • Process improvement: establishing a green channel for immediate referral to breast surgery consultation after abnormal screening results, shortening the time from abnormal screening to diagnosis from 7–30 days to as fast as one day;

  • In-hospital continuity: allowing screening, diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, and follow-up to continue within the same hospital system, so vulnerable women are less likely to be lost because of transfers or repeated appointments.


Clear and measurable goals

This project is designed with measurable outcomes, to be continuously tracked and reported by the Women and Children’s Branch:

  • Same-day one-stop completion rate: from about 16% to more than 50%;

  • Annual breast ultrasound screening volume: from about 5,300 visits to 7,000 visits, with a long-term goal of 10,000 visits;

  • Loss to follow-up after screening appointment: continued reduction over time.


Sustainability: leaving capacity in the community

The spirit of a Rotary Global Grant is not a one-time act of assistance, but the creation of lasting local capacity. Once delivered, the ultrasound probes will become the property of the Women and Children’s Branch, which will be responsible for operation, maintenance, consumables, and continued care coordination. Physicians and technical staff will also receive the necessary training. Rotary is helping remove a bottleneck; the hospital will continue the service for years to come. Taipei Blaze’s goal is not to help the hospital for one day, but to enable the hospital to care for more women over the long term.

Taipei Blaze members contribute more than funding

This project is also not a donation that ends after the funds are given. Taipei Blaze will organize one to two Taipei Blaze community breast screening medical days each year, around Mother’s Day in May and Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. In cooperation with the hospital’s clinic flow, these events will provide one-stop mammography and breast ultrasound screening, health education booths, and breast surgery physician consultation. Members of Taipei Blaze and partner clubs will be present to help with outreach and guidance. Female members will also lead by example by participating in screening themselves—showing more women that screening is not something to fear, and that they deserve to be cared for.