Mobile mammography program marks 35 years of bringing breast screening to rural Alberta

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Bluesky
• Share on X
• Copy Link

Between October 1990 and January 2025, the program detected 28,068 abnormalities that required additional testing and identified more than 3,100 breast cancers.

GreenFox

Why waiting to replace your windows and doors could cost you more than you think

Jul 22, 2026

What's On

Here is What's On in Medicine Hat this weekend: September 25-27

Sep 25, 2026

What's On

Here is What's On in Medicine Hat this weekend: September 11-13

Sep 11, 2026

Justin Wright, Alberta’s minister of primary and preventative health services, said the mobile program helps make screening more accessible for women living outside major centres.

“Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Alberta, which is why making screening easier to access matters,” Wright said.

“For women in rural communities, mobile mammography means less time travelling, fewer added costs and better access to important screening closer to home.”

For Colleen Waters, a three-time breast cancer survivor and retired Screen Test staff member, the program has had a personal impact.

“I’ve been involved with the mobile mammography program on both sides,” Waters said.

“Coming from rural Alberta, I know firsthand the impact this program has had over the years.”

Waters said the service has affected her, her family and her community, along with many other women who have used the mobile units.

Primary Care Alberta CEO Kimberley Simmonds said bringing mammography services directly to rural communities helps remove barriers to regular screening.

“Many of our mobile mammography clients have said they would not receive regular screening if not for the mobile units,” Simmonds said.

Primary Care Alberta says regular mammograms can help detect breast cancer early, when treatment may be more effective.

Women between 40 and 74 are encouraged to discuss their breast cancer risk with a health-care provider to determine whether screening is appropriate for them.

New and returning clients can book appointments with Screen Test by calling 1-800-667-0604.

Returning clients are notified about six weeks before the mobile unit is scheduled to visit their community.

Anyone who notices changes in their breasts or has concerns about their breast health is advised to speak with a doctor rather than waiting for a routine mammogram.