TELUS Health for Good™ and Kilala Lelum bring life-saving ultrasound technology to Vancouver's Downtown Eastside

New mobile imaging services enhance healthcare access for Vancouver's Downtown Eastside as Kilala Lelum Mobile Health Clinic surpasses 50,000 patient visits

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 9, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, TELUS announced the launch of new mobile imaging services aboard the Kilala Lelum Mobile Health Clinic powered by TELUS Health, making faster, more accessible care possible for underserved patients in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Individuals experiencing homelessness face multiple barriers to healthcare, including limited access to primary care physicians and extended wait times for routine services like ultrasound imaging. As a result, over 93 per cent of this population often rely on emergency room (ER) visits for non-critical conditions.

"At TELUS, we believe healthcare should be accessible to everyone, regardless of where they live or their circumstances," said Chris Engst, Vice President, Consumer Health. "It's an honour to support organizations like Kilala Lelum who truly understand their communities and have built such deep trust over the years. When we combine TELUS technology with their clinical expertise and community relationships, we can create lasting change and build healthier communities together."

Having an ultrasound machine on board the mobile clinic will address this gap by providing immediate diagnostic results, enabling faster treatment decisions without the need for additional appointments. Powered by TELUS, the machine connects directly to a smartphone app, which serves as the ultrasound display screen. This new technology will allow the team to diagnose a wide variety of life-threatening illnesses and monitor common issues related to blood flow, wound progression and much more. It will also help determine if the patient needs to visit the ER, preventing unnecessary visits and relieving some pressure on the health care system.

The Kilala Lelum Mobile Health Clinic, powered by TELUS Health, recently surpassed 50,000 patient visits. To acknowledge this significant milestone alongside their new imaging services, an event is being held at a local shelter operated by Lu'ma Native Housing Society, one of the clinic's weekly stops. Kilala Lelum staff will be on site demonstrating their enhanced portable ultrasound services to clients on board the mobile clinic, while TELUS volunteers and Lu'ma staff offer nutritional support through healthy meals for the community. This achievement highlights Kilala Lelum's expanded diagnostic capabilities, with the addition of portable ultrasound technology that will improve health outcomes for Vancouver's Downtown Eastside community.

Providing care since 2021, the Kilala Lelum Mobile Health Clinic has become an essential healthcare resource for Vancouver's Indigenous community, providing primary health care and Indigenous Cultural Care services directly to those who need it most.

"With support from TELUS Health for Good, we can now bring advanced diagnostic technology directly to our patients in their community," said Leah Walker, Kilala Lelum's Executive Director. "Surpassing 50,000 patient visits is a testament to the trust our community has placed in us. This means we can catch health issues earlier and provide the right care at the right time by bringing care directly to our community."

To learn more about TELUS Health for Good, visit telus.com/healthforgood.

About TELUS Health for Good

Since 2014, TELUS Health for Good has been connecting underserved individuals to the medical and mental health care they need using the power of technology. Backed by a commitment of $16 million through 2027, TELUS Mobile Health Clinics have now supported over 300,000 patient visits across 27 Canadian communities since inception. Equipped with TELUS electronic medical records technology, connected with the TELUS Mobility network, and fuelled by compassion, our Mobile Health Clinics provide essential primary medical care to individuals living on the streets. The program also supports caregivers experiencing marginalization with access to free TELUS Health MyCare Counselling sessions and supports low-income older adults to live more independently and enjoy peace of mind with low-cost TELUS Health Medical Alert services. To learn more about TELUS Health for Good, visit telus.com/healthforgood.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T) (NYSE: TU) is a world-leading communications technology company operating in more than 45 countries and generating over $20 billion in annual revenue with more than 20 million customer connections through our advanced suite of broadband services for consumers, businesses and the public sector. We are committed to leveraging our technology to enable remarkable human outcomes. TELUS is passionate about putting our customers and communities first, leading the way globally in client service excellence and social capitalism. Our TELUS Health business is enhancing more than 150 million lives across 200 countries and territories through innovative preventive medicine and well-being technologies. Our TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods business utilizes digital technologies and data insights to optimize the connection between producers and consumers. Guided by our enduring 'give where we live' philosophy, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $1.8 billion in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs including 2.4 million days of service since 2000, earning us the distinction of the world's most giving company.

We're always building Canada.

For more information, visit telus.com or follow @TELUSNews on X and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

About Kilala Lelum

Kílala Lelum is a non-profit Indigenous Health organization that has been operating in Vancouver's inner city since 2018. The Kílala Lelum Health Centre offers an inter-professional team based primary care home and is composed of family physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, counselors, social workers, outreach works, nutritionists, peer community health workers, Indigenous Elders and Indigenous Cultural Workers. The mandate of Kílala Lelum is to provide culturally safe and effective care to patients of all nations. Specifically, the centre has the mandate to enact the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action in Health (Health Actions 19-23) and to specifically recognize, respect, and address the distinct health needs of the Métis, Inuit, First Nations, and off-reserve Indigenous peoples. For more information, visit https://kilalalelum.ca/.

About Lu'ma Native Housing Society

First incorporated in 1980, Lu'ma Native Housing Society has since evolved to provide a broad range of services that improve the social determinants of health. Lu'ma has developed, owns and manages more than 1250 affordable housing units, and offer a wide range of programs, services and initiatives that aim to alleviate poverty, improve the overall health of the urban Indigenous community and respond to the evolving needs of Indigenous peoples. Sister societies include the Lu'ma Medical Centre, the Aboriginal Patients' Lodge, Community Voice Mail, the Aboriginal Children's Village, the Aboriginal Youth Mentorship Program, Indigicare Medicines, Aboriginal Land Trust, and First Funds Society. For more information, visit https://www.lnhs.ca/.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Saara Rahikka
TELUS Media Relations
[e-mail]

SOURCE TELUS Communications Inc.