Expansion of breast screening made all the difference for an Ontario woman

Ontario Breast Screening Program celebrates first year of its expansion to those ages 40 to 49.

For Nicole Ballantine, the expansion of the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) last year proved health saving.

“Before my cancer diagnosis in early 2025, I had no symptoms and no family history of breast cancer. The reason I decided to schedule a mammogram was almost by chance. My husband Mike is a physician and mentioned that the screening eligibility for mammograms had expanded to include women in their 40s in the fall of 2024 and he suggested I get one,” says the 40-year-old dietitian and mom of four from Kincardine, Ontario.

Launched in 1990, the Ontario Breast Screening Program is Ontario’s province-wide screening program that aims to reduce breast cancer deaths through regular screening. People ages 50 to 74 at average risk of breast cancer were eligible to self-refer for a mammogram every two years. People ages 40 to 49 at average risk were able to access mammograms but required a referral from a health care provider.

This October marks the first anniversary of the program’s expansion, when eligibility was broadened for people age 40 to 49 at average risk of breast cancer to self-refer for a mammogram every two years without a healthcare provider’s referral.

Since its expansion last fall, 155,000 people ages 40 to 49 have accessed breast cancer screening through the program.

Transcript available on YouTube.

“I booked my appointment through the OBSP, thinking I was just doing my due diligence. I did not expect anything to come of it,” says Nicole.

However, she received a call back that same day referring her for further imaging. A biopsy later confirmed non-invasive Grade 3 ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS breast cancer. If left untreated, DCIS can become invasive and metastasize, but Nicole says her mammogram identified the cancer when it was considered ‘stage 0’.

Following a successful surgery, there was no need for radiation or chemotherapy afterwards.

Nicole credits her care team for their help and support throughout her cancer journey. But she says what truly made the biggest difference in her story is how the Ontario Breast Screening Program made early diagnosis and treatment possible.

“Without the guideline change last fall, I wouldn’t have gotten a mammogram for another 10 years based on my age. By then, if my cancer hadn’t already turned invasive, my prognosis and treatment plan would have been very different. The expansion of OBSP gave me access to early detection, and that may have saved my life. OBSP connected me to a system that worked quickly, compassionately and collaboratively.”

Individuals are encouraged to speak with their doctor or nurse practitioner, or call Health811 to have a conversation about their risk of cancer, the potential benefits and potential harms of breast cancer screening, and their preferences and values for screening to determine if it is right for them.

“I’m sharing my story to highlight the difference early detection can make,” says Nicole. “I want women to feel empowered to take that first step and know that the system will be there for them throughout their journey, whatever it may look like.”