Kinsmen Foundation’s Story

 

A million-dollar gift from the Kinsmen Foundation played a major role in enhancing access to a breast screening mammogram for Saskatchewan women in rural, remote, and northern communities.

In June 2023, the Kinsmen Foundation pledged their support which completed the fundraising campaign for the replacement of Saskatchewan’s Breast Screening Bus. The Bus provides mammography screening to individuals in nearly 40 rural and remote communities across the province.

This speaks to the very heart of the Kinsmen Foundation’s work. Part of their mandate is to help improve access to healthcare services where people live so they don’t need to travel outside their home community for medical treatment.

“We support initiatives that help decrease the need to fund medical travel by providing early screening and preventative treatments in communities close to home. Supporting the replacement of the Breast Screening Bus to enable early detection for people across the province really fits well with our mandate,” said Raelynn Nicholson, Chair of the Kinsmen Foundation Board of Directors.

The Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan launched a $2 million fundraising campaign in October 2022 to replace the Bus, knowing it was a large sum to raise. Fortunately, donors across Saskatchewan stepped up, and within six months had donated nearly $1 million to ensure the continuation of this critical service. Knowing how important this service is for those living in rural and remote communities, the Cancer Foundation reached out to another Foundation that truly understands the value of providing access to healthcare – the Kinsmen Foundation.

“We were pleased to be able to donate the second half of the funds needed to allow work on purchasing the new bus to begin,” said Nicholson.

The Breast Screening Bus has facilitated more than 250,000 potentially life-saving screening mammograms to Saskatchewan women over the past 22 years. Of the breast cancer cases detected through regular mammograms, 75 per cent are diagnosed at an early stage. Early detection allows for more treatment options, greater survival rates, and better outcomes for breast cancer patients.

The Kinsmen Foundation’s gift, made possible by the proceeds of the annual TeleMiracle telethon, enables the much-needed replacement of the 22-year-old Breast Screening Bus and digital mammography machine. The donation is an example of two uniquely Saskatchewan foundations joining forces to support the health care needs of Saskatchewan people.

“Partnership opportunities like this are important for both our organizations because it allows us to expand the impact for Saskatchewan residents,” said Danika Dinko, Executive Director of the Kinsmen Foundation.

“We are so grateful for the support of the Kinsmen Foundation and their donors to the annual TeleMiracle telethon. I think I can speak for everyone when I say a heartfelt ‘thank you’. Together we are supporting access to early detection and treatment services in the province, which play a huge role in the ongoing delivery of high-quality cancer treatment for Saskatchewan people,” said Nora Yeates, CEO of the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan.

Thanks to the generosity of the Kinsmen Foundation and their TeleMiracle donors, equitable access to breast screening mammograms will continue to be a priority.

 

 

 

 

This story is included in Your 2023-2024 Donor Report alongside many inspiring stories of generosity. Read Your 2023-2024 Donor Report