REGINA — April marks the first anniversary of the Regina Breast Health Centre located in Regina Centre Crossing.
Government and health officials marked the occasion on April 16 with an event commemorating the anniversary, pointing to several milestones for the new facility.
According to the province’s news release, the centre has received more than 1,780 referrals, which the province says demonstrates the need for advanced diagnostics and treatment services at the facility. They also pointed to the recent expansion of services to include lymphoedema care, to provide earlier support for patients who might experience swelling or other physical effects related to treatment.
Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said at the event that as “the Regina Breast Health Centre enters its second year, we remain committed to supporting this model of care. At the same time, work is ongoing to improve access to the quality of breast care across the province. This includes enhanced screening, increased diagnostic capacity, mobile mammography units, and when necessary, out-of-province diagnostic options.”
The province invested $8.5 million to open the Breast Health Centre last year, which included $6.5 million in renovations and diagnostic equipment and $2 million in operational costs. It is one of two such Breast Health Centres in the province, the other being in Saskatoon.
Dr. Sarah Miller, medical director of the Regina Breast Health Centre, pointed to the effort that had gone into the centre over the past year.
"To say that there have not been challenges with the Breast Health Centre would be a lie. But creating the centre from scratch has really been a monumental task. Breast care is incredibly complex with so many moving parts.
"So it's not merely a one solution fix. But we had a wonderful example in our Saskatoon counterpart. We certainly had unique circumstances to navigate in Regina. And we try to plan for every contingency. Inevitably, when you create something new, problems will arise. But I want to recognize that as a team, we have faced these head on and continue to do so today."
Miller spoke of how the Breast Health Centre team has really made a difference in the delivery of breast care in the province.
"But certainly from a personal side, I can say and attest to the same that has changed how I deliver care. You know, going from working in a silo, trying to coordinate all these different services to now being part of a fully multidisciplinary team has really been a pleasure to be a part of. My colleagues would agree, noting certainly much more timely access to biopsies and specialized imaging like MRI. And that results in timely consultations and surgeries as it should."
Among the speakers was Tricia Goffin, who in November 2024 was diagnosed with stage three, triple positive breast cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. She spoke of coming to the centre for a pre-op procedure prior to her mastectomy.
“I think I was here on the second day it was open. And I was nervous, as is the case for many of us. There are a lot of unknowns in this journey. But when I walked through the doors of this centre, I immediately felt care and support from every single person I interacted with that day. And every day since that I've been at the centre.”
She also described being there for a seed implant in one of the cancerous locations that was being targeted for her upcoming surgery, but there was a complication as there were difficulties locating a clip that had been inserted a few months earlier near the location.
“But with everything being in this centre at one place, I was able to walk across the hallway, have an unplanned mammogram, the clip was located, the imaging was immediately available to everyone who needed to see it, and the procedure went according to plan. And I was grateful.”
She said one of the benefits of this centre is the “sense of community and connection that it provides for those of us who come here for treatment.”
Goffin recalled a time when sitting in the waiting room where she was visiting with someone she knew, going through a similar journey, and another patient overheard them and asked a question.
“And after some discussion, we quickly learned that patient was very early on in her journey and had just been diagnosed with cancer. And that is a very overwhelming and daunting time. But we were able to share experiences with that individual and have a really heartfelt discussion. Everyone's journey is different, but being able to come to a place for treatment, for scary treatment, where people understand you and other patients really get what you're going through, is really something special.”
She said for those who are nervous about taking next steps with their breast health, “I say it's okay to be nervous. Folks, at times it's downright scary. But what I've learned is there are many, many people who are caring and supportive and have the expertise to help you manage your breast health.”
As for where things stand for the centre in 2026, Cockrill was asked if it was fully staffed. He said it was his understanding that “we have all our positions filled here. There are some medical imaging vacancies in Regina currently, but those are multi-site positions. And, you know, my understanding is capacity from an imaging side is not affected by those vacancies.”
“That was a question early on. I remember answering those questions a year ago when we were here about, you know, are these positions going to be filled? And I'm proud to say that they have been and that we are able to serve women like Trish and, you know, many others. And I think, Trish and I were actually talking before the event and just talking about, you know, the folks that work at the Breast Health Centre, both here in Regina and Saskatoon. Really, I think… a special group of individuals who are so committed to the patients they serve and, again, providing that multidisciplinary care.”
