You are your own best advocate.
Do you have dense breasts?
Il se peut que votre prestataire de soins ne soit pas au courant des risques liés aux seins denses. Vous, si. Voici comment en discuter avec lui.
You know that women with dense breasts face a higher risk of cancer and that cancer can be missed on mammogram because both dense tissue and cancer appear white. You know that a mammogram is not enough for you. Additional screening with ultrasound or MRI can find cancers missed on mammogram. You will need a requisition but in some provinces, you will have to advocate for yourself. In some provinces, (Manitoba, Nova Scotia) supplemental screening is not accessible. However, that does not mean you should not ask in MB or NS- we must continue asking.
We outline in detail what to discuss with your doctor on Informez-vous dans la section Et si j'avais des seins denses ? et les conseils de conversation se trouvent dans notre boîte à outils de plaidoyer
Are you in your 40s?
Are you in your 20s or 30s?
Conversation tips for a discussion with your healthcare provider.
Passez le mot
Tell other women about dense breasts. Tell other women about the importance of mammograms.
Ask friends, family and colleagues if they are looking after their breast health. Do they know their density? If not, tell them why it?s important to know it. Have they scheduled their routine mammogram? Remind them of the importance of early detection. Each one tell one.
Do you know women in their 40s? Please encourage them to start mammograms. Anyone in Canada can have a mammogram in their 40s. In 7 provinces, self-referral at 40 is available (BC NL NS PEI NB YT ON). Cancer in the 40s can be more aggressive. Details on the importance of starting mammograms at 40 on our our FAQ page.
Do you know women 74+, please encourage them to continue screening. In 6 provinces, women can self-refer past 74. Read more at mybreastscreening.ca
Partagez votre histoire sur notre site
Si le diagnostic de votre cancer a été retardé parce que vos seins sont denses, ou si on vous a refusé une mammographie dans la quarantaine, n'hésitez pas à nous faire part de votre histoire. Nous serions également ravis d'entendre parler de cancers détectés à un stade précoce ! Les récits sont porteurs d'espoir et ont un impact sur les autres. Envoyez-nous un courriel à l'adresse suivante : info@densebreastscanada.ca ou téléchargez votre histoire sur notre page ici.
Joignez notre équipe
We are looking for help to raise awareness and advocate for better screening in every province. We are also looking for volunteers with expertise in marketing, communication, government relations and social media.
Suivez-nous et partagez nos informations
N'hésitez pas à nous suivre sur Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and share our posts. Visit our second website mybreastscreening.ca
Partagez avec votre médecin : Une liste d'études on the importance of screening at 40. Please ask your healthcare provider to check out breast screening guidelines made by experts responsiblehealthcareguidelines.ca
Passez à l’action
Advocacy in action.
We have made great progress in Canada on breast density notification coast to coast. We are just waiting on NL to begin in 2025. In QC and SK, the information is online in each woman's health booklet. We have also made great progress on screening starting at 40. Nine provinces/territories have self-referral at 40 or have committed to it. Note: AB and NWT begin at 45.
How does your province rate on five optimal breast screening practices.
Consultez notre dernier rapport Comparaison des pratiques de dépistage du cancer du sein dans l'ensemble du pays.
Check out the results of our survey of 2500 Canadian women in our report: Le manquement subi par les femmes canadiennes
Letters to politicians.
Please see the footer for the letter for your province and please take a minute to send it in. Please consider sharing the letter with your contacts. The more letters that get sent in, the more impactful. Your Health Minister's address is below.
Advocacy continues to ensure that women in Canada with dense breasts can access supplemental screening and women in all provinces can self-refer for a mammogram starting at age 40.
Canadian Breast Screening Guidelines 2024.
Advocacy is ongoing with regards to the 2024 draft breast screening guidelines. All federal parties are in agreement that the guidelines are dangerous and must be revised. We are also advocating that the body that made the guidelines- the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care- be reformed. We have made excellent progress and the Task Force is under review. The Task Force lacks accountability, transparency, ethics oversight, scientific rigor, expert input and objectivity. You can read about the issues on our screening guidelines page and our report. Please consider writing to Minister Mark Holland.
Advocacy Milestones and Impactful Changes
Since its founding in 2016, Dense Breasts Canada (DBC) has emerged as a leading force in advocating for improved breast cancer screening policies and public awareness across the country. Through tireless efforts, DBC has made significant strides in achieving policy changes that prioritize early detection and equitable access to screening for all women.
Breast Density Notification
Screening Age Lowered to 40
When DBC began, only four provinces/ territories (BC, NS, PEI, YT) were offering self-referral mammograms for women starting at age 40. DBC successfully advocated alongside medical professionals and patient advocates and in 2024/25, three additional jurisdictions (ON, NB, NL) lowered the screening age from 50 to 40. SK and MB will also lower the age to 40 in a phased approach.
Supplemental Screening for Women with Dense Breasts
Before DBC launched, supplemental screening for women with dense breasts was not widely available. Through DBC’s advocacy, women with dense breasts in BC, AB, NWT, SK, and ON now have access to additional screening.
Challenging the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care Guidelines
DBC has led efforts to expose flaws in how the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care develops national guidelines. Through testimony to parliamentary committees and meetings with PHAC, DBC raised key concerns about governance, oversight, and the need for up-to-date evidence and expert input in Canada?s breast screening guidelines. This advocacy resulted in a review of the guideline development process and a pause in the Task Force’s work.
Raising Awareness
In addition to policy changes, DBC has made significant strides in raising public awareness about the importance of breast cancer screening. Through public education campaigns, social media outreach, and collaborations with medical experts, DBC has empowered women with the knowledge they need to take control of their health.
Public Support and Grassroots Mobilization
DBC has galvanized public support for better screening policies. Through its messaging and community engagement, DBC has amplified the voices of women across Canada who are advocating for better breast screening.
Breast Density Notification 2025
Self-referral for mammograms in the 40s.
