Julie Grant knew she was overdue for a mammogram. “I had not had one in two years,” says Grant. “I’d been putting it off not because I didn’t want to go, but I just couldn’t find the time to make an appointment.”

When Grant heard about the Ontario Breast Screening Program’s (OBSP) Mammothon Breast Screening Challenge she knew it was the perfect opportunity to get checked.

Mammothon is a one day breast screening challenge to  encourage as many women as possible to get up-to-date on their breast screening by booking and completing a mammogram. The regional campaign helps address common barriers women experience towards regular cancer screening including fear, embarrassment, limited time, and lack of awareness.

Last year, Grant was one of 835 women to get screened across the province in one day (67 of which were screened in North Bay). “Mammothon made getting checked very convenient,” she explains. “I didn’t need to be referred by a doctor or wait for weeks to schedule an appointment. I was able to walk right in to the hospital and get screened!”

Wednesday, May 4 is the perfect time for women ages 50 – 74 to make their health a priority, as the North Bay Regional Health Centre is hosting its annual Mammothon Breast Screening Challenge again from 7 am – 7 pm.

The goal of breast screening is to detect breast cancer at an early stage before symptoms appear, when it can be most effectively treated.

“Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Canadian women, with one in nine women expected to be diagnosed with it in their lifetime,” explains Sue Lebeau, Director of Quality and Clinical Support at the NBRHC. “We know that many women over the age of 50 are still putting off their mammogram, and we want to encourage all overdue or never-screened women in our community to make the time, take action, and book their mammogram.”

Grant reflects back on her Mammothon experience positively. “The OBSP staff were so warm and welcoming, and my mammogram was quick, easy and painless,” Grant says.

No doctor referral is required but women must be symptom free. Parking is free for this event.

For more information about the Mammothon Breast Screening Challenge at the North Bay Regional Health Centre, call 705-495-7930.

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Contact:
Taylor Grant
Communications Assistant, NBRHC
Taylor.grant@nbrhc.on.ca
705-474-8600 ext. 3131

The North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC), similar to other hospitals in the province, has been experiencing a peak in activity with patients presenting with a variety of illnesses, including respiratory illnesses and influenza.

NBRHC Manager of Infection Control, Mark Daniw says an increased volume of patients in hospital Emergency Departments (ED) is known as a ‘surge’ and is caused by high demand and activity due to a number of factors, including an increase in illnesses circulating in our community.

“As we generally care for patients with very complex needs, we have been managing a surge of very ill patients at our hospital including our Emergency Department,” Daniw says.  “When we have increased visits of sick patients to our Emergency Department, that results in an increased volume of admitted patients throughout the hospital—impacting other departments like our Critical Care Unit and other inpatient areas.”

The Health Centre wants to help ensure our community and patients are protected, and that individuals seek medical attention if appropriate.  “Emergency Department visits and influenza activity is monitored, and if it is determined that flu activity is elevated and our patients are at a potential risk of acquiring influenza, NBRHC declares a high risk influenza status,” Daniw says. “This is a proactive measure to help protect our patients.”  As we have been experiencing admissions of patients with influenza, this status was declared at the Health Centre on March 17th.

“High Risk Influenza Status at our hospital means that along with influenza vaccination, our staff also follow heightened infection control measures—such as hand washing and effective use of personal protection equipment (PPE),” Daniw explains. “We also recommend visitors consider postponing their visits if they are feeling unwell.”  All of these measures are the cornerstone of preventing the spread of any infection from person to person.

As the Emergency Department is currently seeing a surge, including respiratory illness related visits, please familiarize yourself with the options available for non-urgent care like Telehealth Ontario or walk-in clinic availability which can save you an unnecessary visit and wait at the Emergency Department.

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Contact:
Lindsay Smylie Smith
Communications Specialist
North Bay Regional Health Centre
705.474.8600 x 7592
lindsay.smyliesmith@nbrhc.on.ca