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Screen for Life back on the road

The Northwestern Ontario’s Screen for Life coach is back on the road.
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Northwestern Ontario’s Screen for Life mobile coach lead Julia Bailey. (Nicole Dixon, tbnewswatch.com)

The Northwestern Ontario’s Screen for Life coach is back on the road.

The coach had been out of service since February due to some structural damage it had sustained in a motor vehicle accident while it was in the United States for some repairs.

“Unfortunately we were unable to operate the coach at that time,” said mobile coach lead Julia Bailey Wednesday morning outside the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

Cancer screening is vital because catching cancer early minimizes the severity of treatment, so for smaller communities in the regional that don’t have access to mammography services the coach allows them to visit without travelling long distances.

Bailey said there are five affiliate sites for breast cancer screening in the region, so women were encouraged to go to those sites during the six months instead to get their breast cancer screening.

“We also had our family doctors in the region that do Pap tests and give out (faecal occult blood) kits, so we encouraged women to visit them to gain those services,” Bailey said.

“We also ran some Pap test clinics at the Thunder Bay Regional, so that women without a family doctor could access them that way.”

The coach not only benefits those in smaller communities but it helps those in Thunder Bay as well.

There are two affiliate sites in the city, and they take a large volume of women for breast cancer screenings, but there’s a larger volume than that and the coach is able to fill that void.

“The women really enjoy coming here,” Bailey said. “We get positive feedback from the coach, not only are we able to go to different locations in Thunder Bay that is convenient for them they also really enjoy the service that is offered onboard by the staff.”

Bailey added that for those who don’t have access to these services on a regular basis enjoy coming to the coach as well.

“They are very thankful that we are able to visit their communities so that they aren’t driving an hour to five hours to gain these services.”

If a women is unable to have their appointment in a community for whatever reason and they do have to travel, the travel grant is available to them. If someone travels more than 100 kilometres they are eligible to be reimbursed for their travel expenses.

On average the coach sees 31 women a day for mammography, and in addition 31 by the registered nurse for the colorectal and cervical cancer screening.

Bailey wants to remind women that early detection means better treatment options and generally a better prognosis.



Nicole Dixon

About the Author: Nicole Dixon

Born and raised in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Nicole moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario in 2008 to pursue a career in journalism. Nicole joined Tbnewswatch.com in 2015 as a multimedia producer, content developer and reporter.
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