Breast test van returns

BREASTSCREEN Victoria’s mobile screening van is returning to Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative in North Geelong this week.

From Wednesday to Friday, women in Geelong area are invited to have free breast screens — the best way to find cancer early and save lives.

The van first visited the cooperative in 2019 and is back give free breast screens to women aged 50-74.

Women who receive a mammogram will also receive a free, locally designed cultural screening shawl to wear during the procedure, and to take home.

The shawls aim to make sure women feel more comfortable, respected and culturally safe, with North Geelong’s shawl featuring a design by Arrente artist Jasmine-Skye Marinos called Kardeeneeyoo Toort-Barram.

This project is part of a series of visits to Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations across Victoria.

The Beautiful Shawl Project is an award-winning initiative, run jointly by BreastScreen Victoria and the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, that has visited 16 communities since it started in October 2018 and has reached more than 375 Aboriginal women who have been screened.

VACCHO manager of public health and research Susan Forrester said: “We are proud that this strengthbased culturally safe initiative has been successful in improving the screening experience for Aboriginal women in the region.”

BreastScreen Victoria chief executive Terri Smith said Aboriginal women have said the cultural screening shawls provided a inclusive and positive experience when they had their breast screen.

“It’s important that we can reduce barriers to breast screening wherever possible because early detection saves lives,” Ms Smith said.