Alberta Health Services is catering to women in the Foothills by bringing it's mobile mammography service to High River and Okotoks.

The Screen Test program was developed because AHS noticed a number of women from rural areas were finding it difficult to get into the city to get mammograms done.

Harmony McRae, Screen Test community coordinator, says breast cancer is common in Alberta and that one out of every 8 women will be diagnosed in their life time.

Mcrae says there's a specific age group of women mammograms are aimed for.

"We target women age 50 to 74 and that's because women of that age group are actually the most likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer and it's recommended they are screened every two years," she says, "We will see women 40 to 49 with written referral from their health care provider for the first visit."

McRae adds mammograms are key in early detection as they can detect breast cancer 2 to 3 years before it's large enough to be felt.

"When we find this breast cancer at this really early stage the treatment options are so much better and mammograms are really one of the reasons that most women are now surviving their breast cancer. Breast cancer is no longer a death sentence, the earlier we catch it the better it is for everyone so we really encourage women, don't wait until there is a problem, come and get your mammogram."

The mobile mammography service is in the parking lot of the Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex until Tues, Sept. 15 and will be at the Okotoks Recreation Centre on Sept. 18 and 19.

Appointments need to be booked ahead of time by calling 1-800-667-0604.

A complete list of screening sites can be found at www.screeningforlife.ca/screentest.