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Life Saving Breast Screening Van for Women in Western Sydney
Women in Greater Western Sydney will have access to a free life-saving health service closer to home with the launch of the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute (BCI) Sunflower Clinic BreastScreen NSW van. NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health, Melinda Pavey launched the BreastScreen NSW van with Dr Geoff Lee MP, Member for Parramatta. This service will provide potentially life-saving screening to women across Western Sydney.
“The new BreastScreen NSW van will travel around Greater Western Sydney from early next year, making breast screening more accessible for women across the local community,” Mrs Pavey said.
“The BreastScreen NSW program across the State is helping with early detection of breast cancer which can give women up to a 98 per cent survival rate, hence this BreastScreen van will make a big difference in many lives,” Dr Lee said. "The BreastScreen van links women from wherever they are across region to the Westmead BCI comprehensive breast cancer program for screening, diagnosis, treatment and care. It is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art digital mammography equipment, allowing images to be transmitted directly to the BCI Breast Centre at Westmead Hospital for examination by two cancer doctors,” Dr Lee said.
Sue Anne Redmond, Acting Chief Executive WSLHD looks on as Karen Vamos from the Ray of Hope Committee and Melinda Pavey cut the ribbon.
The Cancer Institute NSW estimates 4,600 women across NSW will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. Professor Sanchia Aranda from the Cancer Institute NSW urges women aged between 50 and 69 years across Greater Western Sydney to be vigilant when it comes to having a mammogram every two years. “Over the past decade, deaths from breast cancer have declined by 11 per cent. While it is the most common cancer in women across NSW, it is not the life-sentence it once was. The new BreastScreen NSW van will make the early detection of breast cancer even more accessible for mothers, grandmother and sisters across the community. This early detection is the best defence against breast cancer,” said Professor Aranda.
The screening services will be provided and funded by BreastScreen NSW. The new van would not have been possible without the the Ray of Hope Fundraising Committee, who worked tirelessly for the past three years to raise the funds needed. Ray of Hope Fundraising Committee Chair Steve Vamos thanked members of the committee for their efforts and support as well as several other generous contributors.
The new van forms part of the Westmead BCI Sunflower Clinic BreastScreen program, a community minded health strategy to expand breast health services for women across western Sydney. It has eight existing BCI Sunflower breast screening clinics – four in Myer Department stores at Parramatta, Castle Hill, Blacktown and Penrith, and four in hospitals at Auburn, Mt Druitt, Katoomba and Lithgow.
Please phone BreastScreen NSW on 13 20 50 or call the BCI direct bookings line (02) 9843 3288 to book your mammogram - free for women aged 50 to 69 yrs. Visit www.bci.org.au.
MEDIA CONTACTS
- Melinda Pavey MLC – 0427 203 051
- Westmead BCI media contact – WSLHD Media and Communications Unit: Phone 9845 8258 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
- Ray of Hope media contact – Alana Stack: Phone 0412 859 410 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it