New mammography bus to bring advanced breast cancer screening to rural Saskatchewan

EAGLE STAFF

People involved in raising funds for a new mammography bus were joined by provincial leaders for the unit’s unveiling last week in Saskatoon.

The new bus is set to begin “providing enhanced breast cancer screening services across Saskatchewan” in January, according to a statement from the provincial Health Department. The bus, which will be joined by another unit later in 2026, will visit 42 rural and northern communities over a two-year schedule.

Photo: Saskatchewan Health Authority

The previous mobile unit visited Rosetown last summer. The new bus is scheduled to be in Estevan from Jan. 5 to Feb. 20, then continue to Carnduff, Carlyle, and Moosomin.

The unit will contain “state-of-the-art mammography equipment, enabling it to provide leading-edge, potentially life-saving mammography services well into the future,” according to a Saskatchewan Cancer Agency document on the fundraising campaign for the $2-million bus.

Specialized technologists perform breast exams, and a radiologist trained in breast imaging interprets the results. Officials expect the staff and equipment on the bus will screen “up to 7,500 patients annually,” the statement said. The previous bus, purchased in 2002, examined more than 250,000 women.

"Mobile units now deliver nearly one-third of the province's screening mammograms each year,” said Derek Miller, chief operating officer of the provincial health authority.

"This investment represents a significant step forward in improving patient access to early detection and diagnosis,” said Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill, expressing gratitude to the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan, the Kinsmen Foundation, “and all the donors who helped make this possible.”

The two foundations raised more than $2 million, including almost $150,000 from the province in its 2025-26 budget. The government also provided $175,000 toward the second unit and has pledged to cover future operational costs for the new bus, the statement added.

"Today is a celebration of what we can achieve when we come together for a common cause,” said Nora Yeates, executive director of the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Canadian women and causes the second-highest number of cancer deaths. Screening through the province's BreastCheck program is designed to detect cancer early, before symptoms develop.

"Having a family history with breast cancer, I know how important early detection is," said Lori Carr, minister of rural and remote health. "Having this mobile unit travelling around the province will ensure patients in our rural and northern communities can receive these vital breast cancer screening mammograms closer to home."

A mammogram “is a low-dose X-ray of the breast that plays an important role in finding breast cancer early,” the statement said, “which allows for more treatment options and better outcomes.”