Tomorrow marks the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month—BCAM—but for Dense Breasts Canada, every month is BCAM.

We’re grateful to everyone who keeps our mission moving forward: those who share our posts, visit our website, distribute brochures, arrange free webinars with our medical advisor Dr. Paula Gordon, and spread the word about dense breasts, mammograms, and the need for supplemental screening.

Awareness about breast screening is not only a public issue. In fact, too many family physicians still rely on outdated, inaccurate guidance from Canada’s national guideline-setting body. That’s why sharing evidence-based facts and challenging misinformation remains essential.

DBC gives special thanks to:

• Dedicated advocates nationwide who raise awareness and press for change
• Our graphic designer, Eevin Leigh, whose compelling graphics ensure our message is seen across the country
• Devoted physicians who care for patients by day and spend evenings tirelessly advancing screening research and helping with advocacy—your partnership helps drives meaningful policy changes.

Canadian women now receive their breast density information—once unheard of. Most provinces have now lowered the starting age for mammograms to 40, and access to supplemental screening is slowly expanding. These changes mean more cancers are found earlier and more lives are saved. We’re grateful for the progress we’ve achieved, but feel urgency because each day without equitable access to early detection risks the lives of our mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends. This year alone, more than 30,000 Canadian women will hear the words, “You have breast cancer.” Our mission is to ensure they can also hear, “But it was caught early.”

That is why we are designating October as BREAST CANCER AWARENESS & ADVOCACY MONTH.

Here’s What Needs to Change To Find Cancer Early

• Women with dense breasts are told they’re at higher risk but they need equitable access to additional imaging
• All provinces need to offer self-referral for mammograms from age 40 and past age 74, and run public awareness campaigns so the public is aware when and why they should go
• The use of 3D mammography, Contrast Enhanced Mammography, and Artificial Intelligence remains limited. We need provinces to grasp innovation and offer the best technology to find breast cancer early.
• Every woman should complete a risk assessment starting between the ages of 25-30 and be able to access the screening she needs. Too many women are falling through cracks which need to be closed. An expansion of high-risk programs is needed across the country.

Coming up: We’re launching a Canada-wide survey this week to gather your perspectives on breast screening. Later this month, we’ll introduce a national email advocacy campaign to press governments for action.

This October, we kindly invite you to take action:

• Complete the survey
• Join the provincial email advocacy campaign
• Share your story or concerns with your political representative
• Spread the facts within your networks to dispel misinformation

Let’s demand better breast screening in Canada — together.