Clubs in Timmins join together to help hospital's Breast Wellness Centre

A service club and a golf club in Timmins have teamed up to help the Breast Wellness Centre at the Timmins and District Hospital.

Through their efforts, they managed to raise thousands of dollars to purchase equipment and other items to keep the centre operating.

Officials with the centre at the hospital said they are grateful for a donation from the Hollinger Ladies Golf for Cancer Team, which included a helping hand from the Rotary Club of Timmins-Porcupine.

“Our motto is service above self," said Rotary member June Woodburn.

"So we want to serve as much as we can to help the community as a whole and certainly that Timmins District Hospital is one of the pillars of our community.”

A golf tournament last month in honour of those who’ve experienced breast cancer raised nearly $33,000. Organizers said the Rotarians helped ensure a successful endeavour.

“They're awesome. They provide a license for us. They sold lots of tickets," said Sally Edgell-Luxmore.

"They're there to help all the time when we're putting up signs or whatever. They're a very community-based and focused group and they're very dedicated to our community, and I think we're very lucky to have them.”

The Breast Wellness Centre sees 100 patients every week and anticipates even more people coming in this fall as the province has lowered the age for publicly funded mammograms to include people in their 40s. (Photo from video)

The money will help purchase items such as gowns and expensive equipment.

“There is the mammogram, which is a $400,000 piece of equipment," said Barb McCormick of the Timmins and District Hospital.

"There are ultrasounds, which are $150,000. There's also smaller components like the Brad Gun, which allows for biopsies ... There's always something that is in the need to be replaced. And the cycle, again, is typically five to seven years on the bigger pieces.”

The Breast Wellness Centre sees 100 patients every week and anticipates even more people coming in this fall as the province has lowered the age for publicly funded mammograms to include people in their 40s.

“We haven't heard yet from the province the exact date when that starting," said the hospital's Ann Donaldson.

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"But we're hoping in the fall that's going to increase our volume of patients coming through the centre. So we might have to look at, you know, potentially changing our process at the centre to accommodate all these women.”

The breast wellness program is now open to all 2SLGBTQ+ individuals.

Donaldson said people don’t need physician referral, but staff may ask questions to ensure eligibility.