Who Can Participate?
The OBSP recommends that women at average risk should get a regular breast screening mammogram every two years if they:
- Are between 50 and 74 years of age
- Are Ontario residents
- Have no acute breast symptoms
- Have no personal history of breast cancer
- Have no current breast implants
- Have not had a mammogram in the past 11 months
Women over the age of 74 can be screened on the Screen for Life Coach but are encouraged to meet with their health care provider to discuss whether continuing with breast screening is right for them.
The Ontario Breast Screening Program will send you a reminder letter when it is time to return for your next visit to the Screen for Life Coach.
Making an Appointment
Book your own appointment
You can call our office to make your own appointment for a mammogram. There is no charge for this service and you do not need a health care provider’s referral. When you book a mammogram, you will be given the opportunity to schedule an appointment with the nurse to screen for cervical cancer or to receive a ColonCancerCheck fecal immunochemical test (FIT) to screen for colon cancer.
If you are an OBSP client, you will receive a reminder letter when you are due asking you to call our office to schedule your next appointment. Please make sure you have your health card handy before you call.
Call us at (807) 684-7777 or 1-800-461-7031. Your health care provider can also refer you to the Screen for Life Coach.
Your breast screening appointment
Once you have booked an appointment, you will receive a letter with the date, time and location of your appointment on the Screen for Life Coach.
What to Expect
Screen for Life Coach
The Screen for Life Coach visits over 75 different locations across Northwestern Ontario. Parking at the Coach locations is free. When you arrive, you will be greeted by one of the two female staff who work on the Coach. There are private change rooms on the Coach, but there is no washroom. Please remember to use the washroom before you come for your appointment.
The Screen for Life Coach is wheelchair accessible.
Nationally accredited staff and equipment
The Screen for Life Coach is equipped with a state-of-the-art digital mammography unit, accredited by the Canadian Association of Radiologists Mammography Accreditation Program. The mammography unit is operated by a registered medical radiation technologist (MRT). By meeting national standards, you can be assured that you will receive a high quality mammogram on the Screen for Life Coach.
Preparing for a Mammogram
Do not use deodorants, antiperspirants, body lotions, or talcum powders under your arms or on your breasts on the day of your mammogram. Metals in these products can show up on the X-ray image.
Wear a loose fitting top that buttons down the front.
Results
Clients who have normal results will receive their results in the mail. The letter is also sent to your health care provider. The letter will indicate when you should return to the Screen for Life Coach for your next screening mammogram.
If your results indicate further testing is required due to an abnormal result, you will be contacted directly by our breast patient navigator to discuss next steps and arrange follow-up tests. It is important to know that most individuals who need more testing do not have breast cancer.
Your next appointment
Our office will send you a letter when it’s time for your next mammogram. Most clients return to breast screening every two years. When you receive your letter, call our office to arrange your next appointment on the Screen for Life Coach.
