This month’s Town Hall took place on Wednesday, October 15. See below for a video recording of the session and a copy of the presentation slides.
If you have questions you would like answered, please send them to TBRHSC.GroupNews@tbh.net and we will do our best to address them at a future Town Hall.
If you’d like to access a recording or presentation from a previous Town Hall, visit the archive.
Thank you for your commitment to staying informed and engaged.
One in nine women in Ontario will face breast cancer in their lifetime, with many diagnosed before turning 50. Now, thanks to a recent expansion of the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP), people in their 40s no longer have to wait to be screened. The province’s decision to lower the self-referral age from 50 to 40 gives approximately one million additional women, trans, and non-binary people across Ontario the chance to be screened earlier.
“Breast cancer can and does occur in people in their 40s,” says Dr. Nicole Zavagnin, Regional Primary Care Lead for Cancer Care Ontario at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “Having the option to begin screening earlier means more people can be diagnosed at an earlier stage, when treatment is more effective.”
Through the OBSP, eligible individuals aged 40 to 74 who are at average risk can book a mammogram every two years at no cost with a valid OHIP card – no doctor’s referral needed. Those at higher risk, such as those with a family history of breast cancer, may need to start screening earlier or be screened more often based on advice from their healthcare provider.
Mammograms remain the most reliable tool for breast cancer screening, able to detect changes in breast tissue before symptoms appear. The benefits are clear: the five-year survival rate for breast cancer found at stage 1 is nearly 100%, but drops to less than 30% when diagnosed at stage 4.
“Cancer screening is for people who feel well and haven’t noticed any changes,” days Dr. Zavagnin. “By expanding eligibility, more patients can benefit from early detection and the wider range of treatment options it allows.”
While mammograms are key to early detection, breast health also involves knowing your body, reporting changes promptly, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
“Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a great time to reflect on your personal risk factors and talk with your healthcare provider about whether screening is right for you,” notes Dr. Zavagnin.
Linda Buchan Centre for Breast Screening and Assessment, TBRHSC
980 Oliver Road
(807) 684-7777
Thunder Bay Diagnostics
63 Algoma St. N, Suite 100
(807) 683-4411
Screen for Life Coach (serving Thunder Bay and regional communities)
(807) 684-7777
Riverside Health Care Facilities
110 Victoria Avenue
(807) 274-4808
Lake of the Woods District Hospital
21 West Sylvan Street
(807) 684-7777
Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre
1 Meno Ya Win Way
(807) 737-6579
To learn more about breast cancer screening, visit tbrhsc.net/breast-cancer-screening.
The Communications and Engagement Department at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre is dedicated to supporting you in achieving your communications, messaging, and promotional objectives. All staff, professional staff, volunteers and learners are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the following Communications and Engagement policies:
Media and Promotional Communication — Authorization and Process (COMM-01)
As a public institution, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre recognizes the public’s right to be informed about their Hospital’s policies and the issues surrounding the care of patients in the institution. As well, the Hospital recognizes that the release of information concerning patients and health care practitioners has both legal and ethical considerations. Confidentiality is important. Therefore, media inquiries for audio and video recordings, interview requests, and photo or video recording within the Hospital must have prior approval from the Communications and Engagement Department.
➡️ Media and Promotional Communication – Authorization and Process (COMM-01)
Production of Publicly Distributed TBRHSC Promotional Materials (COMM-03)
This policy ensures that all publications and other materials and information of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre intended for public consumption, appropriately reflect the mission and vision of the Hospital and maintain current branding standards, are patient and family centred, include key messages where appropriate, and reflect the professional standards of the Hospital.
➡️ Production of Publicly Distributed TBRHSC Promotional Materials (COMM-03)
Social Media (COMM-05)
This policy provides direction on the management of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s presence on social media and ensures that guidelines and behavioural expectations when using social media are met. The Hospital recognizes the value of social media sites as vital resources to positively promote its mission and values, strategic plan, prevention and screening initiatives, recruitment activities, successes and initiatives, as well as a forum for engagement and the exchange of general information and feedback.
The second full week of each October (12-18) is dedicated to celebrating the important role of medical device reprocessing departments (MDRD) across the country, just like the one at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
The MDRD staff is made up of certified technicians that wash, inspect, assemble, wrap, sterilize and distribute instruments to the Operating Room and clinics throughout our Hospital. With a focus on patient safety and quality assurance, the proper reprocessing of reusable patient care items is more important than it ever has been.
Staff in the MDRD work almost 24/7 to make sure physicians, nurses and surgeons have the clean, sterile instruments they need to provide exceptional care for every patient, every time.
Interested in joining this fantastic team? Apply today ➡️ https://bit.ly/4nMQVJH
(Via TBNewswatch.com / TBT News)
October is Occupational Therapy Month in Canada.
Occupational therapy is a health profession that empowers people of all ages to overcome barriers in their everyday lives so they can do more and live better.
Occupational therapists (OTs) provide personalized solutions to help people of all ages and abilities recover from an injury or illness, participate in day-to-day activities, and experience life to the fullest. By working with patients, their family members, and health care teams, OTs identify and address any barriers the patient may have with everyday activities. Together, the patient and their OT find solutions that will enable the patient to maintain function, regain skills, develop new skills, and much more.
Please take a moment this month to express gratitude to all the amazing occupational therapists at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, St. Joseph’s Care Group, and other health care organizations across the country for their contributions to patient care.
To learn more about Occupational Therapy, visit the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists website at https://www.caot.ca. To reach an OT at TBRHSC, please call ext. 6271.
Encounters in Bioethics 2025-2026 is offering a free webinar “Violence and Vulnerability: Ethical Decision Making in Health Care Settings” on Thursday, October 23, 2025, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET.
Presenter: Jennifer Dunsford, RN, PhD, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, Helen Glass Centre for Nursing, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Connect via Zoom: https://lakeheadu.zoom.us/j/96892511708
Certificate of Attendance available upon request to chce@lakeheadu.ca
Shared on behalf of Dr. Bradley Jacobson, Chief of Staff
On behalf of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre Medical Advisory Committee, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Bruce Pynn has accepted a one year extension to his role as Chief of Dentistry.
Dr. Pynn has been Chief of Dentistry since 2016 and has been a respected member of the Department of Dentistry for 30 years. Dr. Pynn brings a wealth of experience in health care delivery and a strong commitment to advancing quality patient care. In this position he will continue to provide strategic oversight, foster cross-departmental collaboration and support key quality care initiatives.
Please join me in recognizing Dr. Pynn on serving an additional year in this leadership position and his dedication to patient experience.
Shared on behalf of Dr. Bradley Jacobson, Chief of Staff
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Christian van der Pol has been appointed as the Chief of Diagnostic Imaging at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre effective October 1, 2025, after covering the role since August.
Dr. van der Pol has been a respected member of the Department of Diagnostic Imaging since 2020, bringing a wealth of leadership, clinical and academic experience. His roles have included Site Chief at Hamilton Health Sciences, Assistant Professor at NOSM University, Associate Professor at McMaster University, Chief Resident and investigator on multiple research projects. Already in his short time covering the position, he has made positive process improvements.
Please join me in welcoming him to his new role.
