MOOSE JAW — In a significant advancement for local health care, the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital has now installed a state-of-the-art breast coil to its existing MRI machine, a development made possible through the Moose Jaw Health Foundation (MJHF) and a generous community.
The new breast coil became operational on the week of Feb. 3, and will remain a permanent addition to Moose Jaw’s hospital.
“We’re thrilled to announce the addition of the new MRI breast coil at our hospital,” said Kelly McElree, director of the MJHF. “It will be used in conjunction with the existing mammography, imaging, and sonography services.
“Since it provides a clear picture with greater certainty for our medical professionals, it can be used to confirm a diagnosis and to aid in prognosis, treatment, and planning. It’s quite the advancement and a benefit for patients… in Moose Jaw and surrounding communities.”
The breast coil is now the third of its kind in the province, enabling Moose Jaw’s hospital to provide equivalent services to those available in Saskatoon and Regina. Currently, around 3,000 MRI scans are typically administered each year at the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital.
“The patient will be able to stay in Moose Jaw and not have to travel to Regina or Saskatoon for MRI breast imaging, so that’s a relief to the patient,” he added. “A cancer diagnosis is a very difficult diagnosis, and the less travelling you have to do, and the more time you can spend with people close to home, it sure does make a difference.”
The new coil is designed to enhance the hospital’s ability to detect and diagnose breast cancer at its earliest stages. The machine offers superior imaging capabilities, allowing for more detailed and accurate assessments as compared to traditional screening methods.
As a result, physicians will be able to identify abnormalities with greater precision, leading to earlier interventions and improved patient outcomes.
“Breast cancer hits home for so many people,” McElree noted. Each year in Saskatchewan alone, approximately 750 new cases are diagnosed with an estimated 160 deaths — approximately 21.3 per cent — resulting from the disease.
“The numbers are very concerning… and early diagnosis is absolutely crucial when treating cancer and generally leads to a greater chance of success,” he said. “There’s no better imaging possible than (through) an MRI, so this is quite the benefit… to surgeons.”
In total, the new breast coil cost approximately $175,000.
The acquisition of the new breast coil was made possible by the MJHF’s dedicated fundraising efforts. In one noteworthy instance, the Foundation’s annual Festival of Trees event raised over $184,000 on Oct. 19, 2024, and has raised approximately $5.5 million in support of the hospital since the project’s inception. The Foundation is also supported by mail-in donations and an annual contribution by The Mosaic Company.
With the breast coil now fully operational, the next step for the MJHF is to work with the digital imaging department to further upgrade the MRI machine “so it’s capable of doing even more things,” McElree added. Further details are expected later in 2025.
“It’s wonderful to see medical staff so excited by this new technology, because they work with these patients every single day and they want nothing but the best for them and to help them,” McElree said. “This is another tool that they have that will save many, many lives in our community.
“(I just want to say) thank you to all foundation donors for making it possible.”
For more information about the MJHF or to donate to the Vision of Tomorrow campaign, visit MJHF.org or call 306-694-0373.
