Humberside Breast Screening Service is appealing to women to be their friend’s ‘best pal’ by encouraging them to keep breast screening appointments.
Around 1,300 lives are saved every year because those women take up the invitation to attend breast screening appointments.
Lesley Peacock, Programme Manager for Humberside Breast Screening Service, said: “The women with poorer outcomes are those women who don’t come along for their screening appointment. Picking up problems at an early stage can mean the difference between life and death.
“So, we’re hoping women unite to attend their own appointments and encourage their friends, their workmates and their family members to come along for screening.”
Although breast cancer is the second highest cause of cancer deaths in women, screening reveals problems early, with 98pc of woman diagnosed with breast cancer at this stage surviving five years and beyond.
Yet, uptake by women aged 50 to 53 is as low as six per cent at some GP practices in our area. Women from Black, South Asian and Eastern European communities are also less likely to attend their appointments so the team are sharing exactly what happens during screening to remove all uncertainty.
You’ll receive your letter to attend your first breast screening sometime around your 50th birthday. You’ll then be recalled every three years until your 71st birthday
Screening takes place in mobile screening vans, similar in size to portable cabins. The mobile vans move from location to location across the East Riding, Hull and North and North East Lincolnshire bringing screening to community venues. It’s currently at locations including Bridlington Hospital and Lakeside shopping Centre in Scunthorpe and will be moving to Holme on Spalding Moore Village Hall, Hull Royal Infirmary and St Hugh’s Hospital, Grimsby shortly.
Here’s what happens during your screening appointment
- Once inside, your details will be checked by the screening team and you’ll be shown to a cubicle to remove clothes from your top half, including your bra. A female mammographer will then take you to the x-ray room
- The mammographer will then position you in the machine and ask you to hold still while the image is being taken
- Two pictures of each breast are taken. You may feel slight discomfort as the plate does hold the breast tight but this is to ensure a clear image is produced
- This takes only a few minutes and then results are sent in the post within two weeks.