Lauren Ritchie knew the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) inside and out. As the former Coordinator of the Screen for Life Coach, she was familiar with the screening process and how to best support her team.

When a close friend was diagnosed with breast cancer, the work she had once approached professionally took on a whole new meaning.

“Everything shifted from logistical to deeply personal,” says Ritchie. “I had always believed in the value of screening but I had a newfound appreciation for just how critical early detection really is.”

The Screen for Life Coach (Coach) is a mobile cancer screening unit, operated by the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, that delivers breast, cervical, and colon cancer screening directly to communities across the region. In Northwestern Ontario, where rural, remote, and Indigenous communities can face additional barriers to care, the Coach offers not only access to services but a chance to normalize screening as a routine part of healthcare.

Now back on the road for its seven-month regional tour, the Coach’s return carries new urgency and new hope. A recent change to OBSP has lowered the recommended age for breast cancer screening from 50 to 40. It’s a shift that could lead to earlier detection and improved outcomes for individuals across the province.

For Ritchie, the change came at a pivotal moment. “Timely enough, the [breast screening] program lowered the screening age just as my friends and I were turning 40,” she says. “Because of my past involvement with the Coach, I knew that’s where I wanted to be screened.”

To mark the milestone, Ritchie and her friends supported each other through their first mammogram appointments on the Coach, an event they affectionately dubbed the Boobie Brunch.

“It turned what could have been a nerve-wracking task into a supportive, shared experience that we celebrated afterward,” says Ritchie. “Turning 40 isn’t something to fear, and neither is your first mammogram. With the lowered screening age now in place, I hope others take proactive steps toward early detection.”

The experience also provided Ritchie with a renewed appreciation for the healthcare professionals working aboard the Coach.

“I had seen the nurses and technologists in action before, but experiencing their work as a client gave me deeper respect for their skill and dedication,” she says. “Their compassion has a way of putting you at ease if you’re nervous about the process. It’s clear they care about what they do.”

Since its launch, the Coach has played a vital role in increasing screening participation and improving health outcomes in the region. Its presence encourages important conversations about health and prevention.

“Life is busy and it’s easy to put these things off, but screening should be a priority,” Ritchie adds. “Sharing the experience with my friends made it more meaningful. Having people who remind you to book that appointment, check in on you, and stand by your side through life’s ups and downs makes all the difference. That day wasn’t just about getting screened, it was about showing up for each other in every sense of the word.”

The Screen for Life Coach will continue traveling throughout Northwestern Ontario until the fall. Eligible individuals due for breast, cervical, or colon cancer screening are encouraged to take advantage of the mobile service.

For information about the Coach’s travel schedule and screening eligibility, visit tbrhsc.net/screenforlife. To book an appointment, call (807) 684-7777.