[Greens-Media] It’s Free – Why wouldn’t you do it? BreastScreen Footscray hosts morning tea and open day

[Adele.Pedder at parliament.vic.gov.au]

North Western BreastScreen’s Footscray site, which services the Inner 
West, has one of the lowest participation rates by eligible women in the 
state*. The team at Footscray BreastScreen and Colleen Hartland MLC are 
having a morning tea and open day at the Paisley Street clinic aiming to 
turn these figures around by busting some myths associated with breast 
screening.

"As a community we need to increase the number of women using the free 
BreastScreen service in the Inner West. The more women who participate in 
the BreastScreen service, the greater the reduction in mortality from 
Breast Cancer in women in the target age group." said  Colleen Hartland, 
Greens MLC for the Western Suburbs.

"October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and we are having a morning tea 
and open day at the BreastScreen service in Footscray. This provides an 
opportunity for the community to join us for morning tea, find out more 
information, tour the facilities and meet the friendly staff," 

"I participate in the BreastScreen program and I will be having my 
biennial screening mammogram. There’s nothing to hide, it is a normal 
preventative healthcare measure, and I encourage women in the West to come 
out and join me." said Ms Hartland. 

"BreastScreen’s target group is women in the 50 –69 age bracket and 
unfortunately only 44% of those women in the Inner West are using the 
service. There are some specific challenges in encouraging women in this 
area to attend and BreastScreen Victoria is working hard to address them. 
The large local population of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) 
peoples has seen us set up language specific clinic days, organize 
interpreters, deliver bi-lingual education and address specific cultural 
concerns by providing all female staff." said Robin Curwen-Walker, 
Community Information Officer for BreastScreen. 

"Breast screening is the best way to find breast cancer early, before any 
symptoms are noticed and when treatment is likely to be most successful. 
Early detection is crucial considering 1 in 9 women will develop breast 
cancer in their lifetime." 

"It is a free service available to all women over 40. It does not require 
a doctor's referral and takes only 10 minutes. Appointments are with 
females only and our machines can detect cancers the size of a grain of 
rice " said Ms Curwen-Walker. 

What: Footscray BreastScreen morning tea & open day. 
When: 10:30am - 12noon, Friday 21st October. 
Where: BreastScreen Footscray - 2/77 Paisley St, Footscray. 
Why: Footscray BreastScreen, which services the Inner West, has one of the 
lowest participation rates in the state. Colleen Hartland and the 
Footscray BreastScreen team are having a morning tea and open day to turn 
these figures around. 
Photo opportunity: Morning tea at BreastScreen - many women, helium pink 
balloons, the facilities and staff. 

*The current state participation rate is 53.8% and refers to the eligible 
female population attending for screening within a 24 month period.

For comment: 
Colleen Hartland 0417 445 845
Robin Curwen-Walker 0409 987 153


For more information on the BreastScreen morning tea and open day go to: 
www.mps.vic.greens.org.au/BreastScreen_morningtea. 
For more information on the BreastScreen Victoria services go to 
www.breastscreen.org.au. 

*********************************************
Adele Pedder

Electorate Officer
Colleen Hartland MLC
 
Ph: 9689 6373
Fax: 9689 6227
www.mps.vic.greens.org.au
 
75 Victoria Street 
Seddon 3011
 


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Parliament of Victoria                                                                                                                    . 
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