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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
After more than a year of waiting, Stanton Territorial Hospital will finally have its digital mammography machine to scan for signs of breast cancer.

The mammography machine is the same model that will be ready for use at Stanton Territorial Hospital in early November. - image courtesy of Selenia Dimensions and the Stanton Territorial Health Authority

The $420,000 machine will be ready to use Nov. 7. The Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation and the Run For Our Lives committee raised enough money to purchase the machine in October 2010.

For Marlene Bonnell, who has participated in the Run For Our Lives event, it is welcome news.

"Well, I'm just glad that it's here, because I am now of that age where I do have to have that (exam) done," said Bonnell. "With it being more accurate and faster, it's great."

"I'm hoping that with the hype that it's going to cause, that more women will be going to get it done. And you know with it being faster and more accurate, obviously people will be taking advantage of that," she said.

As for the delays in getting the machine to Yellowknife, she is understanding.

"It's a little frustrating, but you know, we're in the North and we just sort of get used to having things being delayed. But I'm glad that it's finally here and will be up and running," said Bonnell, who noted how important she feels it is that women have the screenings done on a regular basis.

Rebecca Alty, the executive director of the Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation, said there are a lot of benefits to having the new machine.

"With the digital image, you can see the quality of the image improve and you can have an earlier and more accurate detection," said Alty. "And then you can also get your test results back faster. It also means less radiation, because you're not going back for a lot of tests and stuff," she said.

Alty explained that the bulk of the funding came from Run For Our Lives, $300,000 worth, while the rest of the funding came from various events such as raffles and the Images for Strength and Hope fundraiser.

"Run For Our Lives started in 2005 and it was really a case of a bunch of women in the North being like, "You know what? We raise a lot of money up here and we want this money to stay here and benefit Northern residents," said Alty.

Alty said the reason why it took so long to get the mammography machine is because the hospital wanted to make sure it had the right unit for the job and that it was compatible with their current systems.

"It was the last piece of equipment at the hospital that wasn't digital, or didn't have the ability to do digital imaging," said Alty.

Stanton Territorial Health Authority CEO Kay Lewis said she is happy the machine has arrived, and said it will do a lot to improve health care for women in the North.

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