March 15, 2000
 (Health and Community Services)

$2 million comprehensive breast health centre

Roger Grimes, Minister of Health and Community Services, today announced a $2 million government commitment to establish a provincial breast health centre at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital in St. John's. This centre will allow for development of a comprehensive breast health program, and will build on a successful three year project which was carried out in the St. John's, Avalon and Central East regions of the province.

"The breast health centre at St. Clare's will serve as a screening and diagnostic facility for St. John's and the surrounding area. It will also coordinate provincial diagnostic activities, and be the administrative hub for the breast health program for the whole province," said Minister Grimes. "The provincial program follows the success of our pilot project which has clearly demonstrated the need for an organized approach to breast screening and early detection. In fact, in Newfoundland and Labrador, the pilot project was successful in attracting more women per capita for breast screening than similar projects across the country."

Many services will be provided through the centre including: breast health education, breast self-examination, clinical breast examination, mammography, ultrasound, and biopsies. The breast health centre will serve as a centre of excellence and provide support for other facilities across the province. Those facilities currently providing breast health services will be linked with the new centre to ensure a standardized approach to these services.

Julie Bettney, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, said the provincial breast health centre will help to save women's lives. "Finding an abnormal breast lump can be a very frightening experience. This fear is compounded for women and their families when there are delays in diagnosis once an abnormality is found. The provincial health centre will help to ensure that women in this province have a better chance at detecting and treating cancer than they would have otherwise," the minister said. "And, it will provide an environment in which breast self-examination and cancer detection can be explored in a supportive manner."

Dr. Nancy Wadden, medical director of the Breast Screening Program for Newfoundland and Labrador, said the establishment of this centre is welcome news for the women of the province. "The new breast health centre will help reduce the waiting list for diagnostic and screening tests for women," said Dr. Wadden. "By centralizing all our services in one place, we will deliver services more efficiently." Dr. Wadden said the goal is to ensure that women receive a diagnostic breast test within 48 hours after being referred.

Health professionals acknowledge that delays during the assessment phase of abnormal breast cancer screening as well as poor integration of screening and diagnostic components are areas of significant concern. Today's announcement will improve the timeliness of diagnosis and access to treatment. Mammographic screening in women aged 50-69 has been shown to reduce the rate of death from breast cancer by up to 40 per cent.

Renovations will take place at St. Clare's to accommodate the centre. A reception/waiting area, mammography area, space for physical examinations, surgical consultation, other intervention procedures, counseling services, and a film library will be included in the renovation. Essentially, women will enjoy a continuum of service from assessment through to diagnosis and follow-up treatment.

Media contact:

Karen McCarthy, Communications, (709) 729-6670.
Carl Cooper, Communications, (709) 729-1377.

2000 03 15                                         9:35 a.m.