INUVIK (June 18, 2026) – The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) is pleased to announce the implementation of a dedicated breast screening coordinator at the Inuvik Regional Hospital (IRH), a position that will support the expansion of breast cancer screening services to include self-referrals and easier access to screening.

Introduced in March 2026, this new position aims to support coordinated breast screening for residents across the Beaufort Delta Region. Residents of the region previously had to request screening through primary care, but can now bypass primary care and self-refer for screening directly through the program if they meet the NWT Breast Cancer Screening Clinical Practice Guidelines.

With the introduction of this role, the NTHSSA now has dedicated breast screening coordinators at each mammography site (Inuvik, Yellowknife, Hay River) that service every region of the territory, and eligible individuals from any NWT community can now self-refer to the territorial breast screening program.

The territorial breast cancer screening program uses a centralized cancer screening database to support care coordination across all regions through automated recall, reminder letters, and result letters that include individual information, including details about breast density, to support increased awareness.

Residents who meet the criteria for average risk screening and women and non-binary individuals with breasts who have no symptoms and are between the ages of 45-74 can call the breast screening coordinator to enroll in the program. Those who previously received screening mammograms at IRH will receive a re-call letter in the mail when they are due for their next screening, and can call and book their next appointment with the program directly after receiving their letter.

Residents with additional risk factors can also self-refer to the program. Higher than average risk factors, which may require additional screening, include:

• a first-degree family history of a parent, child, or sibling with breast cancer
• a breast density category D and over the age of 45
• atypical hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ
• confirmed BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes
• previous radiation therapy to the chest wall

If you are unsure if you meet the criteria for breast screening guidelines and are between the ages of 45 and 74, please call the breast screening coordinator and they will assist you. If you are outside of those ages and wish to have screening, you are encouraged to discuss breast screening with your health care provider.

Breast cancer is the leading cancer diagnosis in women and non-binary people with breasts in the NWT, with one in eight women in Canada expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Screening for breast cancer before symptoms appear saves lives by detecting cancer earlier and improving health outcomes.

If you meet the recommended territorial breast screening guidelines, you can self-refer to this program by calling 1-866-313-7989 opt. 7 or emailing BreastScreening@gov.nt.ca. For more information about breast cancer screening in the Northwest Territories, visit NTHSSA Breast Cancer Screening.

For media requests, please contact:

NTHSSA Communications
nthssacomms@gov.nt.ca