Upgraded Sask. mammography bus hits the road in January
CBC
A mobile unit the Saskatchewan government bought in 2002 for providing mammograms to Saskatchewan women will soon retire.
The province and the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan (SCA) unveiled its replacement in Saskatoon on Thursday.
The new unit will serve 42 rural and northern communities beginning in January. It’s part of the BreastCheck screening program, operated by the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the SCA.
According to Deb Bulych, president and CEO of the SCA, about a third of breast screenings in the province are offered on the current mobile unit. She expects about 14,000 women will be screened in 2026 with the new, upgraded bus.
“Seventy-five per cent of women who are diagnosed with cancer as a result of being screened through BreastCheck are at an earlier stage. With cancer becoming almost a chronic disease now, multiple treatments are available now,” Bulych said.
“So the earlier we can detect cancer, the more treatment's available and the better patient outcomes.”
Earlier this year, eligibility for breast screening without a doctor’s referral was expanded to women who are 45 or older. The province said it should be available to all women 40 and older by the end of July 2026.
Bulych said this will help the new mobile unit reach many more women.
Derek Miller, chief operating officer of the SHA, said the mammography bus offers the same standard of care available in urban centres like Regina and Saskatoon.
“It was definitely an upgrade from the last one. So it's more efficient, it has a lower dosage of radiation. So [there’s] really impactful improvements for people that are being scanned,” he said.
Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said a second mammography bus will be on the road in late 2026. In the meantime, now is the right time for the first unit to retire, he said.
“You can imagine when you roll down the highway for 23 years, stopping in 42 different communities, you know, the vehicles wear out, equipment wears out. This new unit absolutely impresses."
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