Closing CanScreen: Reflections, Gratitude, and What Comes Next

As CanScreen reaches its three-year mark, we have made the difficult decision to begin winding down the service.

CanScreen was created as a physician-led response to an important gap in care for unattached patients, people without a regular primary care provider to order tests, receive results, and guide next steps. From the outset, the service was designed to address a real need while demonstrating what a centralized, virtual model could achieve, not only for cancer screening, but as part of a broader vision for preventive care: right care, right place, and more appropriate use of healthcare resources.

Over the past three years, with the support of many partners, CanScreen helped thousands of patients access breast, lung, and colon cancer screening and follow-up care. We also supported patients facing abnormal results, further investigations, and, in some cases, a new cancer diagnosis.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who supported this work, especially the medical imaging community, whose commitment and flexibility made so much of it possible.

At the same time, it became clear that demonstrating the value of the model was not enough on its own. For CanScreen to continue and grow safely, it would have required clearer sponsorship, dedicated funding, shared responsibility, and coordinated system support. That foundation did not come together in a way that allowed the service to move into its next phase.

What CanScreen leaves behind is not a failed idea, but clear evidence of what is possible. The need is real, the impact was meaningful, and the proof of concept is there. We are proud of what was achieved, and we are ready to share what comes next.

As part of closing this chapter, we are also sharing two companion pieces: a summary of patient survey feedback collected at the midpoint of the service, with a further follow-up summary to be added as CanScreen closes, and a collection of support team testimonials gathered over the past several months.

Thank you for your support over the past three years.

Stuart and Cal

CanScreen Founders, Dr. Stuart Bax, Dr. Cal Shapiro