action cancer celebrates 30 years of breast screening
Action Cancer, Northern Ireland's leading local cancer charity, is today celebrating the 30th anniversary of their breast screening service as they launch their annual Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign.
Introduced in September 1978, the service was the first of its kind in the UK - possibly even the world - and it was a further ten years before the NHS Breast Screening Programme was introduced.
Over the last 30 years Action Cancer have screened approximately 110,000 women and saved approximately 500 women's lives in Northern Ireland.
A remarkable achievement
Joanna Currie, Consultant Radiographer for Action Cancer said:
"It is a remarkable achievement that Action Cancer, a local charity, have introduced this service to Northern Ireland and saved approximately 500 women's lives as a result.
Breast cancer continues to be the most common cancer in women here but due to education and screening programmes the survival rates continue to increase and Action Cancer is delighted to have played a part in that.
Furthermore early detections have drastically reduced the invasive and traumatic treatment the women may have required which also has a huge impact on those women and their families.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) approaches, Action Cancer would encourage all women to make themselves aware of the symptoms of breast cancer and to carry out regular self-examinations.
We would call on women to please attend their NHS screening appointment when called.
In addition Action Cancer, along with Gordons Chemists, will be asking women in our screening range of 40-49 and 65+ to please mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month this year by coming to Action Cancer for a mammogram - it has saved hundreds of women's lives and it could save yours."
Action Cancer offer breast screening to women aged 40-49 and over 65, who fall outside the NHS screening programme.
Every month approximately 1100 appointments are available through Action Cancer House and the Big Bus which travels across Northern Ireland spending a month at a time in each Board area.
Marie McDonald
Helping them with their message is Marie McDonald from Lisburn who was diagnosed through Action Cancer:
"We are extremely fortunate in Northern Ireland that we have Action Cancer providing breast screening to those outside the NHS age range.
Unfortunately many of us think it won't happen to us or its something we will eventually get round to.
I was one of those people until circumstances led me by chance to get a mammogram and my family and I are very thankful for it.
They detected my cancer early meaning my chance of survival was higher and I didn't need to get a mastectomy.
I have three children and I cannot bear to think what would have happened if it hadn't been for Action Cancer's service so I am urging all those women out there who don't go - it can happen to you, please, please book your Action Cancer appointment or go for your NHS appointment when you're called."
Gordon's Chemists
The campaign is being supported and promoted by Gordon's Chemists, Northern Ireland's largest independently owned pharmacy chain, which believes that its position at the heart of the community will help spread the vital health screening message further than ever before.
Helena Buchanan, Head of Health Promotion with Gordons Chemists said:
"We believe very strongly in the service Action Cancer are providing and the lives that are being saved.
We will be working with Action Cancer to raise awareness of the service, encourage customers to attend for screening and raise funds to keep the service going as they rely entirely on donations."
There are approximately 125,000 women aged 40-49 in Northern Ireland and 138,000 women over the age of 65 who are eligible for the charity's screening service but many may not be aware that it exists.
The leading charity will be working in partnership with Gordons Chemists throughout the month of October to carry out an awareness campaign which will involve radio advertising, new service leaflets, a mail out to GP surgeries and media activity in communities across Northern Ireland.
According to figures released earlier this year women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, through the NHS Screening Programme, have the same lifespan as women who have never had the disease.
Furthermore, the Lancet Report earlier this year found that death rates in women aged 40-49 who were screened fell by 48% compared with 19% for those who were not.
Latest figures from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry Show that 1075 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and 295 women lost their lives to the disease in 2006.
Since September of last year Action Cancer has screened over 6500 women for breast cancer with 38 detections of breast cancer having been confirmed so far.
Anyone interested in obtaining an appointment should call the Action Cancer appointments line on 028 9080 3344 to obtain an appointment in Action Cancer House or on the Big Bus when it next visits the area.