THUNDER BAY -- Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s mobile breast-screening unit remains out of service while repairs are made resulting from a collision earlier this year.
Hospital officials on Thursday estimated the bus will be back on the road in late summer.
As a result the summer screening travel season of the region will be reduced. It is not known whether or not the entire season will be lost.
“We are disappointed, of course, said Lauren Breach, the mobile coach lead, in a release issued by the hospital.
“The good news is that there are screening options available and we have already discussed them with about 2,000 women.”
Screening is available at two fixed locations in Thunder Bay, including the Linda Buchan Centre at the hospital and at Thunder Bay at the Thunder Bay Medical Centre.
In the region screening can be conducted at Lake of the Woods District Hospital in Kenora, La Verendrye Hospital in Fort Frances and Meno Ya Win Health Centre in Sioux Lookout, which does offer mammography services.
“Screening saves lives. I’m very pleased that women throughout our region have made it part of their routine and are taking advantage of available screening. We encourage women who are 50 to 74 years of age to contact us to discuss their screening options,” said Beach.
“Those women who choose to complete their screening this year at a regional OBSP site, but who want to continue to screen in the future on the coach, should ask to be screened on the coach when contacted again in one or two years.”
Appointments for breast screening may be made by phoning 684-7777 or 1-800-461-7031.
The bus, which needs a partial rebuild after damage was suffered while under the care and operation of the manufacturing company, normally travels between 75 different communities between April and October and provides service in Thunder Bay during the winter months.
A new travel schedule for 2016 will be developed once a return to the road date is confirmed.
