BREASTCHECK TO PROVIDE FREE BREAST SCREENING TO WOMEN LIVING IN LIBERTIES/COOMBE
- 21 July 2009
The National Cancer Screening Service is pleased to confirm that BreastCheck – The National Breast Screening Programme will provide 1,000 women aged 50-64 living in the Liberties/Coombe area with their free mammograms (breast x-rays) from August to September 2009.
This Government-funded screening service is offered to women aged between 50 and 64 on a two-yearly cycle and BreastCheck urges all invited women to attend their appointment.
Screening will take place at the BreastCheck Mobile Unit in the grounds of Crumlin Shopping Centre. A BreastCheck mammogram is a simple procedure and an appointment takes about half an hour in total. The aim of screening is to detect early breast cancer. The vast majority of women screened are found to be perfectly healthy with less than one per cent diagnosed with cancer.
BreastCheck advises all women aged 50-64 living in Liberties/Coombe area to make sure their name is on the BreastCheck register by calling Freephone 1800 45 45 55 or checking online at www.breastcheck.ie
Mr Tony O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer of the National Cancer Screening Service, encourages all women contacted by BreastCheck to attend. “It is important that women take this valuable opportunity to look after their health. Many women in the Liberties/Coombe area have already been contacted and we encourage all invited women to attend their appointment. We also encourage women who have previously availed of this service to encourage those who have not yet attended to take advantage of BreastCheck.”
BreastCheck is the first national screening service provider worldwide to offer a fully digital mammography service. The decision to transfer to full digital mammography was taken following a successful pilot programme that demonstrated significant improvements in diagnostic accuracy.
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