Getting screened for cancer can fall to the bottom of your to-do list for many reasons: a busy schedule, accessing a primary care provider, or maybe you’re not sure if it’s even necessary. With the Screen for Life Coach (Coach) parked in various locations around Thunder Bay until the end of March, there’s no better time to check cancer screening off your list.

The Coach is a mobile cancer screening bus that delivers three cancer screening programs to residents in Northwestern Ontario:

1. Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP): Breast screening mammograms to eligible women, Two-Spirit, trans, and nonbinary people ages 40 to 74.
2. Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP): Cervical screening test to anyone with a cervix, ages 25-69, who is or has ever been sexually active.
3. ColonCancerCheck Program: Take-home fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kits to people ages 50 to 74, regardless of gender, with no family history of colon cancer.

Each winter, the Coach provides these cancer screening services in Thunder Bay before hitting the road in April to visit more than 36 communities across Northwestern Ontario.

“This is a crucial time for residents of Thunder Bay to access screening on the Coach before it heads out to the region in a few weeks,” says Caitlund Davidson, Prevention and Screening Coordinator at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “We know that barriers like transportation and scheduling can make it difficult to get screened, so the Coach brings cancer screening right to your neighbourhood. The Coach will be parked at familiar, accessible areas like the 55 Plus Centre, Superstore, and the Da Vinci Centre throughout March, giving more people the chance to take advantage of this service close to home before we begin our regional tour.”

Getting screened can provide peace of mind. “Cancer screening is for people who do not have any symptoms,” continues Davidson. “Most cancers don’t show symptoms in the early stages but screening can catch cancer early, when it’s most treatable.”

If you have a valid OHIP card, there is no cost to be screened by the Coach and a doctor referral is not required if you are at average risk and are within the recommended screening age range. If you are eligible for breast, cervical, and colon cancer screening, you can book all three appointments for one visit. Flexible scheduling options, including morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend appointments, make it easier to find a time that works for you.

Visit tbrhsc.net/screenforlife to see the Coach schedule, and call (807) 684-7777 to book your appointment. If you can’t make it before the end of March, the Coach will be back for limited appointments throughout the summer.

Systemic racism has a longstanding presence in the Canadian health care system, leading to disparate health outcomes for racialized peoples, a reflection of the historical and ongoing racism faced by Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities that continues to impact their health and well-being.

What is anti-Black racism and how does it affect the health of Black people?

Anti-Black racism is a term that was first coined by Dr. Akua Benjamin, a former professor of Social Work at Toronto Metropolitan University (Black Health Alliance, 2025), and is defined as a form of discrimination that targets Black people (Ndumbe-Eyoh, 2018).

Evidence increasingly demonstrates the devastating impacts of anti-Black racism on the health and wellbeing of Black people.  Please find more information on these impacts from the Black Physicians of Canada: https://blackphysicians.ca/.

How can we address anti-Black racism in the health care system?

The answer to this question is complex. Addressing racism in the health care system in a meaningful way, will require a multi-layered approach, and an ongoing commitment from leadership and staff to dismantle the racist structures that contribute to inequitable health outcomes for Black people.

At TBRHSC, the Indigenous Collaboration, Equity, and Inclusion department, in collaboration with the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Steering Committee and our partners, is committed to building a strong foundation for health equity at our organization by:

1. Creating a toolkit of practical strategies for all leadership and staff to embed EDI into everything that we do.
2. Developing a framework to guide clinical and strategic initiatives at our organization from an EDI lens.
3. Developing a Black Health Action Plan to address the needs of Black people in the communities that we serve, with funding from Ontario Health.

For more information on anti-Black racism, please click here.

Additional information sourced in this post can be found here:

Massaquoi, N. (2023). Racial humility over competence: Addressing anti-Black racism and healthcare leadership responsibility. Healthcare Management Forum, 36(5), p. 280–284. DOI: 10.1177/08404704231186807

Ndumbe-Eyoh, S. (2018). Let’s talk: Racism and health equity (Rev. ed.). National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health. Antigonish, NS: National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health, St. Francis Xavier University.

All employees are automatically entered into the Big Prize draw to win a $1,500 Prepaid Mastercard!

Human Resources will add an extra entry for participation in each of the following initiatives: iCare Impact Awards nominees and nominators, Long-Service recipients, flu vaccine participants, and those who completed e-learning by December 31, 2024.

The winner will be announced on the Daily Informed Newsletter and the Hospital’s social media pages on Friday, March 7, 2025.

To learn more about this year’s Employee Recognition Week, please visit the following link: http://informed.tbrhsc.net/departments/human-resources/employee-recognition/employee-recognition-week

Spread appreciation during this year Employee Recognition Week by sending a Recognition O’Gram, submitting a Thumbs Up or sending an e-Card!

To learn more about this year’s Employee Recognition Week, please visit the following link:
http://informed.tbrhsc.net/departments/human-resources/employee-recognition/employee-recognition-week

Participate in our Employee Recognition Week trivia for your chance to win great prizes. Available all day from February 28 – March 6, 2025. Accessible on the iNtranet Rolling Banner or by use the following link: https://trivia.tbrhsc.net

Prize draws to be held daily, and the winners will be announced on the Daily Informed Newsletter and the Hospital’s social media pages.

To learn more about this year’s Employee Recognition Week, please visit the following link: http://informed.tbrhsc.net/departments/human-resources/employee-recognition/employee-recognition-week

Enjoy complementary Well-Being Therapy Sessions during Employee Recognition Week (February 28 – March 7, 2025).

For more information including session dates, times, and locations please visit https://erw.tbrhsc.net/

Reflexology with Jillian Veneziano

Jill Veneziano is a Registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist (RCRT) and a 300-hour certified yoga teacher with specialized training in Ashtanga, Yin Yoga, and Traditional Chinese Medicine elements. With nearly a decade of experience in the wellness industry, she offers holistic treatments that promote relaxation, balance, and overall well-being. Jill provides reflexology and yoga massage to support stress relief and recovery, helping individuals feel rejuvenated and restored.

Auricular Acupuncture to Regulate the Nervous System with Carrie Johnsen

Auricular Acupuncture to Regulate the Nervous System with Registered Acupuncturist Carrie Johnsen. Drop-in if you have 20 minutes to sit and breathe with 3-5 acupuncture needles placed at points on the ear used clinically to help manage physical manifestations of stress.

Soft Tissue Therapy with Dr. Megan Rubin

Dr. Megan Rubin, BSc., D.C. will be providing soft tissue therapy to address muscle tension and restore motion in stiff joints. Dr. Rubin can also provide rehabilitation exercises, along with ergonomic and postural advice to prevent future pain or limitations that are keeping you from enjoying the activities you love. Dr. Rubin believes that each treatment is unique in order to optimize health and well-being.

Mini Massages with Angelo Papa

A mini massage is a brief therapeutic session, lasting 5 minutes, focusing on key areas like the neck, shoulders, and back. It’s designed for quick relief, offering immediate benefits like reduced stress and muscle tension. This makes it an excellent choice for busy individuals looking for a fast way to rejuvenate and enhance mental clarity during a hectic day.

Therapeutic Touch with Karen Eberhardt

Therapeutic Touch® is a holistic, evidence-based therapy that incorporates the intentional and compassionate use of universal energy to promote balance and well-being. Therapeutic Touch practitioners are educated to modify a person’s energy field when disease or illness obstructs or depletes their flow of energy. The Therapeutic Touch treatment restores order and harmony to the client’s field.

Meditation for Coworkers with Justyna Kondakow

Justyna holds space to offer tools to calm the nervous system in a quick, 15-minute session during your lunch break. You don’t have to be an expert, you don’t have to remove all thoughts and there’s certainly no pressure for ultimate cosmic bliss, although, you just might find it.