The Bulkley Valley District Hospital (BVDH) in Smithers has added a new unit specifically designed for breast cancer patients.
A new state-of-the-art digital mammography machine is included in the near $950,000 project funded by the provincial Ministry of Health, with the goal of reduce the rates in the region.
BC Professional Practice Leader for the Screening Mammography Program Nancy Aldoff calls this investment an open invitation for all women over 40 to get screened sooner.
“We want more women to come out because we want this machine to keep buzzing. More women need to participate in the Bulkley Valley because right now it’s at a 43% participation rate, so want that number to grow.”
The unit comes with warmer detectors for additional comfort, with less exposure to radiation, and will deliver more sensitive images.
Aldoff adds there are other perks to this new facility.
“It’s free service, you don’t need a doctor’s requisition; you’re basically self-referred. For women over 40 years old, you can just call, as long as you don’t have some symptomatic issues going on, then you should go to your family doctor.”
She says not getting service like these has always been an issue in the north.
One in eight women across BC develop breast cancer in their lifetime and almost 3,500 are diagnosed each year.
Stikine MLA Doug Donaldson and Smithers Mayor Taylor Bachrach were among local officials at the Monday afternoon announcement.
MLA Doug Donaldson, BC Cancer’s Nancy Aldoff, Dr Sandra Vestvic, & SBHAG’s Debbie Courtliff help celebrate the official opening of the Bulkley Valley Hospital’s new digital mammography service in #Smithers today. News release: https://t.co/Rb8nQ1xI5P #breasthealth @BCCancer pic.twitter.com/zmtQOfhrSW
— Northern Health (@Northern_Health) January 29, 2018
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