A mobile mammography clinic will return to Slave Lake this fall, giving residents access to free breast cancer screening without having to travel to another community.

The Screen Test Mobile Mammography Clinic will be in Slave Lake from Oct. 1 to 10, providing screening mammograms to eligible individuals.

The mobile service is particularly important for Slave Lake because mammography is not currently listed among the services offered at the Slave Lake Healthcare Centre. The healthcare centre provides general X-ray and ultrasound services, among a range of other medical services, but does not have a permanent mammography service listed by Alberta Health Services.

Instead, Screen Test periodically brings a mobile mammography unit to the community. The program’s purpose is to improve access to breast cancer screening in Alberta communities where mammograms are not readily available.

The mobile unit has previously operated at the Slave Lake Healthcare Centre. In November 2025, a Screen Test trailer was stationed at the healthcare centre at 309 6 Street NE, where it provided screening mammograms over several days.

The service has been coming to Slave Lake for decades.

According to The Lakeside Leader’s 2025 report, Screen Test first visited the community in 1997.
Women aged 45 to 74 are encouraged to have a screening mammogram every two years and do not need a referral to book an appointment.

Screening is also available to people aged 40 to 44 with a referral for their first mammogram in Alberta. Those aged 75 and older are encouraged to speak with their healthcare provider about whether continuing regular screening is appropriate.

Screening is also available to eligible transgender, gender-diverse and non-binary individuals.
Appointments for the Slave Lake clinic can be booked by calling Screen Test at 1-800-667-0604. The screening is free.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer found in women and the second-leading cause of female cancer deaths. About one in seven Alberta women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, according to Screening for Life.

Regular screening can detect breast cancer before symptoms appear, when cancers are often smaller and treatment may be more effective.

More than three-quarters of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Alberta are 45 or older.
The province recently changed its routine screening recommendation, lowering the age at which women are encouraged to begin regular screening from 50 to 45.

The change was based on evidence, Alberta breast cancer data and modelling that found the benefits of screening outweighed potential harms for women aged 45 to 49.

People do not need to have symptoms to benefit from screening. However, anyone who notices an unusual change, such as a lump in the breast or armpit, nipple inversion, unusual discharge, skin dimpling or thickening, should contact a healthcare provider.

Screen Test operates mobile mammography clinics in communities across Alberta, providing an option for residents who might otherwise have to travel to a larger centre for screening.

The Town of Slave Lake is encouraging residents to share information about the upcoming clinic with friends, family and others who may be eligible.

The Screen Test Mobile Mammography Clinic will be in Slave Lake from Oct. 1 to 10. Appointments can be booked by calling 1-800-667-0604.

William Hetherington
Lakeside Leader