$2.1 million campaign bringing diagnostic mammography to Langley
When Langley resident Anna found a lump in her breast in August 2017, she braced for a long wait. As a health care professional, she expected diagnosis and treatment would take time.
Instead, her care moved quickly. Within minutes of her diagnostic mammogram, technologists changed course.
“They pulled me right into the ultrasound,” recalls Anna (name changed to protect privacy). “I said, ‘I have an appointment next week,’ and they said, ‘No, you need to come now.’ The lump looked very suspicious, so they wanted to see it right away.”
Just weeks earlier, Anna had lost a close friend to aggressive breast cancer. The speed of her own cancer diagnosis and following treatment felt jarring, but reassuring.
Now years into remission, she knows how fortunate she was to receive a rapid diagnosis - even though she had to travel to Abbotsford for it.
At Langley Memorial Hospital, patients can access screening mammography, but diagnostic services are only available at nearby sites such as Abbotsford or Surrey. That extra step can mean days or weeks of waiting for results, adding unnecessary stress to an already frightening process.
Langley residents now have an opportunity to help change that.
The team behind Twins Cancer Fundraising is working to improve cancer care for local women, as an active fundraising partner on LCHHF’s $2.1 million campaign to refresh Langley Memorial’s onsite mammography clinic. Chris and Jamie Ruscheinski, a local realtor team who lost their mother to cancer as teens, organize Gone Country Jamestown - an immersive, western-themed fundraiser featuring music, comedy, food and local talent.
“This all started with our mom and her battle with breast cancer 25 years ago,” says Jamie. “Since then, my brother and I, alongside an incredible group of volunteers, have been committed to giving back to the community we call home. We’ve seen just how much people here step up for one another, and that’s what keeps us going.
“Supporting the mammography clinic at Langley Memorial Hospital is a natural fit for us, and a way to support families facing the same kind of fight our mom did 25 years ago.”
On July 11, guests can explore the Jamestown site in Langley Township, enjoy multiple stages and lively saloons and discover local performers all while supporting faster access to diagnostic care at Langley Memorial Hospital.
The inaugural Gone Country Jamestown 2025 charity event raised $625,000 for cancer research and care in Langley. Over the past 20 years, Twins Cancer Fundraising has raised more than $6 million for the cause, through a number of different fundraisers.