Use Your Voice

Use Your Voice to Make Change!

Manitoba has taken a significant step forward with the September 24, 2024, announcement to allow self-referral for breast cancer screening starting at age 40. While this is a positive development, the policy must be implemented immediately to save lives. Currently, screening at age 50 misses a critical opportunity for early detection in women aged 40-49, a group in which 17.5% of breast cancers occur, and the cancers are often more aggressive. Studies also show that the peak incidence of breast cancer in Black, Asian, Indigenous, and Hispanic women occurs earlier than in Caucasian women, highlighting the need for earlier access to screening. If we don’t act quickly, Manitoba will become the only province where individuals cannot self-refer in their 40s. Early detection saves lives and significantly reduces suffering—let’s ensure this opportunity is available to all. 

Feel free to copy, paste and revise.

Find your MLA and email address here

Note: 

when addressing an official, 

• use MLA Smith if they are backbencher or elected from a non-governing party

• Use Minister Smith if they are a member of the cabinet - you can click the link above to find the information that you need

Subject: Urgent Call for Updated Breast Screening Practices in Manitoba

Email:

Dear [Minister/MLA/Premier],

I am writing as a concerned citizen about the urgent need to fully implement updated breast cancer screening practices in Manitoba.

The announcement on September 24, 2024, to lower the self-referral age for mammograms to 40 is a positive step, but this policy must be implemented without delay to save lives.

Currently, women aged 40-49 in Manitoba are unable to self-refer for a mammogram. Instead, they require a referral from their healthcare provider, which many are denied despite the Canadian breast screening guidelines affirming that the decision to screen starting at age 40 should rest with the individual. This gap delays critical early detection of breast cancer. Other jurisdictions, such as British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, Ontario and New Brunswick, allow self-referral starting at 40. Newfoundland starts in March 2025.  Manitoba must act swiftly to align with this standard.

The statistics are clear and concerning:

• 17% of breast cancers occur in women in their 40s.

• 17.5% of breast cancer deaths are from this age group.

• Cancer in this demographic is often more aggressive, contributing to higher mortality rates.

• Women in their 40s who receive mammograms have a 44% lower mortality rate compared to those who do not.

Additionally, racial disparities cannot be overlooked. Minority women face a higher risk of developing aggressive breast cancers at an earlier age and often at a more advanced stage. Delayed access to screening exacerbates these outcomes.

Manitoba women deserve equitable access to early detection, regardless of where they live. I urge you to prioritize immediate implementation of the new self-referral policy at age 40, ensuring all Manitobans have the opportunity to detect cancer early and improve survival outcomes.

Finding breast cancer early saves lives—this should not depend on geography.

Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Address
City, Province, Postal Code
Phone Number