Province says Regina Breast Health Centre has led to faster, better care

A year after the opening of the Regina Breast Health Centre, the provincial government says patients are receiving the care they need more quickly.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health said that since the centre on Albert Street opened its doors in April of 2025, it has seen 1,780 referrals.

The centre offers diagnostics, treatment plans and rehabilitation services by bringing together radiologists, surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists, imaging staff and a social worker under the same roof, which the ministry said has resulted in “faster, more seamless care, including surgeon appointments within weeks after biopsy and reducing wait times for advanced imaging.”

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The centre also recently expanded its services to include lymphedema care, the ministry said, offering support to patients whose treatment leads to swelling or other physical issues. The program –which the ministry said was previously delivered at the Pasqua Hospital – combines education and therapy in an effort to help reduce complications and anxiety while improving overall outcomes.

“Having specialists, diagnostics and support together in one place, is helping patients feel supported and informed at every stage,” Jeremy Cockrill, Saskatchewan’s health minister, said in a statement.

“I was nervous when I first arrived, but what stood out was how much the staff cared about my well-being,” said Tricia Goffin, a patient at the centre. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)

“I want to thank the dedicated health care team at the Centre who continue making a difference for patients and families every day.”

Tricia Goffin, a patient at the centre, praised the facility and its staff.

“I was nervous when I first arrived, but what stood out was how much the staff cared about my well-being,” Goffin said, quoted in a statement from the ministry.

“The staff are incredibly caring and knowledgeable, guiding you through each step. Having everything in one place made things easier. At one point I could walk just down the hall for imaging so my care could continue without delay. It is not an easy experience, but you are not alone and there are resources to support you along the way. There is a real sense of community at the Centre, both with the team and among patients.”

The provincial government said it has spent $8.5 million on the centre, including $6.5 million for renovations and diagnostic equipment, along with $2 million to cover its operations.

“As the Regina Breast Health Centre enters its second year, investments in this year’s budget in staffing and equipment will continue to support it to provide enhanced breast health services,” the ministry noted.

While the province recently extended a contract with a Calgary diagnostics provider to perform some out-of-province services for Saskatchewan patients, the ministry said it is also making strides on improving and accelerating care for breast cancer patients at home.

Since April of 2024, the ministry said biopsy wait times in Regina have dropped by roughly five weeks, “with a substantial decrease in the number of urgent patients waiting for care.” Increased diagnostic capacity has also been added in both Saskatoon and Moose Jaw, giving “more than 315 long-waiting and urgent patients with access to breast diagnostic procedures.”

Breast screening eligibility has also been expanded in Saskatchewan to include all women 43 and older, the ministry added, allowing more than 76,000 women around the province access to screening. Additionally, the number of mammograms performed in Saskatchewan has increased by 21 per cent since 2023-24, the ministry added, which is thanks in part to the addition of two mobile mammography units that serve 42 rural and northern communities, with each mobile unit screening 6,000-7,000 patients each year.