Dear Premier Eby and Minister Dix,

As residents of British Columbia, we are writing to remind you that your Government’s commitment to provide supplemental screening for women with dense breasts remains unfulfilled.

We recognize the Province’s progressive move in 2018 to notify women and their healthcare providers about their breast density category. However, notification of breast density must be accompanied by providing access to clinics that offer the necessary supplemental screening to meet the healthcare needs of these women.

Today, there is a shortage of these breast screening clinics which is restricting women’s access to care. The current situation is unacceptable and places women with dense breasts at an unjustifiable and heightened risk of cancer going undetected. The evidence is clear: dense breast tissue increases the risk of women developing breast cancer. These women requires supplemental screening with ultrasound or MRI which can find cancers missed on a mammogram. For women with dense breasts ‘supplemental’ screening is not optional—it is critical for early detection and survival.

We are calling on your Government to keep its promise to the women of British Columbia by increasing the number of regional cancer centres, local hospitals and community clinics offering supplemental breast screening in the province.

Together, we can save lives and reduce unnecessary suffering of our BC residents by ensuring that all women can have breast cancer detected early.

Thank you for your attention to this critical issue.

Sincerely,

Your BC Residents