KERRY WOMEN SLOWER TO USE BREASTCHECK

WITH one of its screening units scheduled to begin a seven-month stint in Tralee this month, the National Breast Screening Programme BreastCheck is concerned at the poor uptake for its services by women in Kerry.

BreastCheck provides free mammograms to eligible women on an area-by-area basis every two years, and a mobile unit is billed for the University Hospital Kerry campus from November until next June. Around one in four Kerry women do not attend their appointments when called, making the county’s uptake rate one of the worst in the country. The rate in Kilkenny, for example, is some 15 points better than Kerry’s.

“Breast screening allows earlier detection of breast cancer and detection of tumours at an earlier stage, which leads to better outcomes,” BreastCheck Lead Clinical Director Ann O’Doherty told The Kerryman. “Smaller tumours can be treated with more conserving surgery and there is usually less requirement for chemotherapy.”

In its bid to boost uptake in the county, the programme is now asking Kerry women who have already participated to encourage other women to attend for screening. Women can check if they are included on the BreastCheck register by visiting www. breastcheck.ie or by calling Freephone 1800 45 45 55, and registered women will be invited for screening when the service visits their locality. By the end of 2021, all eligible women aged from 50 to 69 will have been called for screening.

“We would also urge all women, regardless of age or participation in screening, to remain breast aware at all times and to contact their GP without delay if they have any concerns regarding breast cancer,” a BreastCheck spokesperson added. “A list of symptoms are available at hse.ie/eng/ health/az/B/Breast-cancer-female-/Symptoms-of-breast-cancer.html.”