Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
Starting in early 2026, a new mobile mammography unit will begin providing enhanced breast cancer screening services across Saskatchewan, serving 42 rural and northern communities. The new mammography unit will screen up to 7,500 patients annually.
With over $2 million in financial support raised by the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan and the Kinsmen Foundation, this new and modernized unit will bring more timely access to breast screenings for patients across the province.
The Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan is currently accepting donations to support the completion of a SECOND mobile screening vehicle, which will be hitting the road in Spring 2026. As part of the 2025-26 budget, the Government of Saskatchewan provided an additional $148,000 in funding to support the new unit and has committed to funding the ongoing future operational costs. An additional $175,000 in operational funding was also provided to the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) to support the implementation of a second mobile unit in 2026.
“We are thrilled to see this advanced mobile mammography unit become a reality,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “This investment represents a significant step forward in improving patient access to early detection and diagnosis. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan, the Kinsmen Foundation, and all the donors who helped make this possible as we continue to work together to put patients first.”
The new unit was officially unveiled in Saskatoon at Prairieland Park and will begin service on January 5, 2026. The previous mammography bus, purchased in 2002, will be retired after over 20 years on the road and providing over 250,000 mammograms to patients across the province. The mobile mammography unit (bus) travels throughout rural and northern Saskatchewan and runs on a two-year cycle. For the next four months, the bus will be in southern Saskatchewan, visiting the communities of Estevan, Carnduff, Carlyle, and Moosomin. Appointments for the bus can be made approximately six weeks in advance of its visit to a community and do not require a doctor’s referral. The toll-free number to book appointments is 1-855-584-8228.
“I want to express my profound gratitude to the Kinsmen Foundation, Telemiracle donors, and all the individuals, organizations and communities across the province that raised funds in support of this mobile unit,” Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan CEO Nora Yeates said. “Today is a celebration of what we can achieve when we come together for a common cause. Thanks to your generosity, dedication, and belief in the importance of accessible cancer care, women across Saskatchewan will continue to have access to locally available, life-saving screening services.”
Among Canadian women, breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death. Breast cancer screening, provided through the province’s BreastCheck program, aims to detect cancer early, before symptoms develop.
“Having a family history with breast cancer, I know how important early detection is,” Rural and Remote Health Minister Lori Carr said. “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.”
Saskatchewan recently began lowering the age of eligibility for breast screening without a doctor’s referral as an important step in cancer prevention. Earlier this year, breast screening eligibility was expanded to women aged 45 and older, as part of a phased plan to make screening available to all women 40 and older by the end of July 2026. The Government of Saskatchewan provided nearly $1.2 million to support the increased number of patients screened following the lowering of screening age eligibility.
A breast screening mammogram is a low-dose X-ray of the breast that plays an important role in finding breast cancer early. Approximately 75 percent of breast cancers diagnosed through BreastCheck screening are early-stage. Early detection allows for more treatment options and better outcomes. When breast cancer is caught at stage one, there is a 100 percent five-year survival rate.
“By putting a new Mobile Mammography unit on the road, we will be able to reach more women in rural, remote and northern communities than ever before,” Saskatchewan Cancer Agency President and CEO Deb Bulych said. “Early detection saves lives, and this new mobile unit will help Saskatchewan women access BreastCheck screening mammography close to home.”
In Saskatchewan, the BreastCheck screening program is operated collaboratively by the SHA and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA). The SCA provides outreach, education, invitations, booking, and follow-ups with screening results, as well as reporting. Specialized mammography technologists at the SHA perform the exam, and a radiologist trained in breast imaging interprets the images.
“We are proud to see this new mammography unit become operational, expanding access to high-quality breast imaging for rural Saskatchewan,” Saskatchewan Health Authority Chief Operating Officer Derek Miller said. “Mobile units now deliver nearly one-third of the province’s screening mammograms each year, helping patients get the care they need closer to home. My sincere thanks to the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency and the donors working toward a shared goal of better care for patients.”
In 2024, a one-million-dollar donation by PTI Transformers funded the purchase of two digital mammography machines for the permanent screening sites in Saskatoon and Regina, which were installed in April 2025. The new machines have doubled the capacity at each of those locations, equating to an additional 25 to 30 screening exams being performed each week.
To find a breast screening location near you and schedule a screening mammogram, visit the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency’s BreastCheck program online at saskcancer.ca/breastcheck or call toll-free at 1-855-584-8228.
To learn more about donating to the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan’s campaign for breast cancer screening equipment, visit: cancerfoundationsask.ca/donate.
