Driving Change: Lessons I’ve Learned on the Road with The Sun Bus
The roads I know best are two-lane highways—quiet stretches through farmland, small towns, and forests. Growing up in rural Wisconsin, I learned early on that healthcare often meant travel. A check-up could require hours of driving, missed work, and out-of-pocket expenses. For many families, it just wasn’t feasible.
That early understanding is what sparked my passion for mobile healthcare: meeting people where they are and breaking down barriers to care. It’s also why working with The Sun Bus has meant so much to me.
As a traveling dermatology assistant, I’ve spent the past year helping provide free skin cancer screenings and sun safety education in several communities—many facing the same barriers I saw growing up. In these areas, people often go out of their way to thank us for what we do, which resonates deeply with me.
Since joining The Sun Bus, I’ve met people from all over the US—at health fairs, festivals, schools, workplaces, and farmers markets. We’ve parked the bus just about everywhere, from busy city blocks to empty parking lots in quaint mountain towns. Each stop has taught me something new. After months of screenings and conversations, here are a few lessons that have stayed with me:
1. Prevention Saves Lives
In a sunny state like Colorado, prevention is everything. A simple conversation can change someone’s life. I’ve seen people come up to the bus just to ask a quick question and end up getting checked for something serious. We’ve found suspicious spots that people didn’t even know were a problem. Seeing those patients get the care they needed reminded me how powerful screenings and preventative care can be.
2. Education is a Superpower
Whether I was explaining the ABCDEs of skin cancer or using the VISIA camera to reveal hidden sun damage, I saw how curious people are about their health. Helping turn that curiosity into action—like wearing sunscreen or reducing time spent in the sun—was a powerful reminder of how education can inspire lasting change. Giving people the knowledge to care for their skin, often for the first time, felt like a meaningful step toward long-term health and prevention.
3. Mobile Care Reaches People Who Need It Most
Many people we screened hadn’t seen a dermatologist in years—if ever. Some lived hours from the nearest clinic or didn’t have insurance. By showing up in their neighborhood, we removed those obstacles. This showed me that mobile clinics like The Sun Bus are proof that care doesn’t need an address.
As I wrap up my time on the road, I’m excited to carry these lessons with me into my next chapter. I’m looking forward to starting medical school at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where I’ll be part of the rural medicine program. It feels like coming full circle—returning to the same place that shaped my view of healthcare, now equipped to give back in new ways.
I’ll always be grateful for what The Sun Bus taught me: that prevention matters, education empowers, and access to timely, affordable healthcare can change lives.
I want to say thank you to the amazing team I’ve worked with, the providers who have shared their wisdom, and the patients who have shared their stories.
If you see The Sun Bus in your town—don’t miss it! You might just walk away with a little more knowledge, a lot more sunscreen, and maybe even a skin check that could change your life.
