A new mobile mammography unit was unveiled in Saskatoon. The unit will provide breast cancer screenings in 42 rural and remote Saskatchewan communities.
The trailer will begin service on January 5th and contains everything inside of it to provide mammograms to women right in their own community.
Saskatchewan Health Authority Chief Operating Officer Derek Miller says that the upgrades will make breast cancer screening more accessible for all women.
“Upgraded spaces, wheelchair access, which we didn’t have in the previous unit, which will be important to make sure we’re able to provide care to everyone who needs it. Inside, we have all of the latest technology in terms of security and electronic information systems. The actual mammography unit itself, it is a very modern device.”
Deb Bulych, who is the president and CEO of the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, says the convenient screenings are important as the earlier breast cancer is caught, the more effective treatment will be.
“75 per cent of women who are diagnosed with cancer as a result of being screened through breast check are at an earlier stage. With cancer becoming almost a chronic disease now, years of treatment, multiple treatments available. So the earlier we can detect cancer, the more treatment’s available and the better patient outcomes.”
Saskatchewan Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill says that the new unit is part of the government’s way of enhancing health care services to smaller communities, particularly those living in First Nations and the north.
“Obviously a focus of this government and the Saskatchewan Health Authority is ensuring that people, regardless of where they live in this province, have the best possible access to health care close to home. And we know that can be a challenge in northern and Indigenous communities and certainly as we work to find more partnerships with Indigenous communities right across the province, this is a great example of that. Bringing health care as close to home as possible for women in this province, regardless of where they live.”
To further increase the amount of screenings, the provincial government will lower breast screening eligibility age from 45 or older to 40 or older by the end of July 2026.
The new mammography unit will be used to service over 7000 women annually. A second unit is coming later in 2026 which means the number of women who receive mammograms through a mobile unit will double to around 14,000 in Saskatchewan.
The unit was brought to life through over $2 million raised by the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan and the Kinsmen Foundation. The provincial government has also provided $148,000 as part of the 2025/26 budget and will also provide $175,000 to support the second unit.
