Warning on lack of breast cancer testing

Charity funding hit by Covid-19

THOUSANDS of women will not have breast cancer screening this year because donations to a charity have been devastated during the Covid-19 crisis.

Now the organisation and survivors fear it could potentially mean a death sentence for some.

Action Cancer normally breast screens 9,600 women every year in Northern Ireland and detects cancer in more than 55 of them.

But the free screening is expected to be slashed this year by around 4,000 as fundraising efforts are stymied by social distancing rules.

The charity’s boss Gareth Kirk said: “On average five women per month in Northern Ireland will have their cancer go undetected for each month the coronavirus crisis continues.

“We’re expecting a surge in local people wanting access to breast screening and our counselling and therapeutic support services, according to our research.

“But we’ll not be in a position to offer the same number of appointments because of lack of funds.

“The need to protect the lives of those who really need the services of Action Cancer, to ensure that the proper safeguards and staff are in place, means that we need help more than ever.”

Cancer survivor Suzi Waterworth, 50, said: “My cancer was detected early by Action Cancer. It’s so sad other women are going to be denied an early breast cancer diagnosis.

“That means around 57 women who’d normally have been screened, diagnosed with cancer and treated will now not have the chance to be screened by Action Cancer.

“For every 1,000 screenings done, six women get a letter like the one I got two years ago, calling them back for tests – the start of a journey that fortunately I survived thanks to early diagnosis.”

With no government support and the additional pressure of Covid-19, it will take the charity five years to get back to the level of previous donations.

In the first six months of 2020, they are already down £500,000 as Covid-19 hit the pockets of the public hard and social distancing meant fundraising campaigns were put on hold.

To donate you can visit www. actioncancer.org.