Dozens of Black women received breast cancer screening Saturday at a Scarborough Health Network awareness event that combined on-site mammograms with education, according to reporting by CBC Toronto’s Gabriela Silva Ponte.

The gathering at the Northpine Diagnostic Imaging Department was the fourth such event in Scarborough. Organized in partnership with Toronto charity The Olive Branch of Hope, it offered screening and educational sessions for eligible women aged 40 to 74.

Breast surgeon Winnie Leung told CBC Toronto that outreach aimed at Black women can help address cultural and language barriers. Translators were available to assist patients who do not speak English, she said.

Leung also said she has been seeing more younger patients with breast cancer over the past four to five years. That observation reflects her clinical experience, rather than a population-wide finding presented at the event.

“I encourage women to know their own bodies,” she said, urging women to speak with their family doctors, particularly if they have a family history of breast cancer.

Leila Springer, a co-founder of The Olive Branch of Hope, said the charity began 25 years ago to support Black women who struggled to find groups that reflected their experiences. As its work developed, the organization expanded its focus to screening education because many women were already diagnosed when they sought help.

Springer said events give participants a chance to discuss concerns with other women and ask health professionals questions that community advocates cannot answer.

Ontario lowered the age for mammogram self-referral from 50 to 40 two years ago, CBC reported.

Attendee Almaida Scoon told CBC she keeps up with her screenings and left the event wanting to encourage loved ones to attend. She said she planned to bring her daughter and granddaughter to a future gathering.

Sources