BreastCheck provides over 800,000 mammograms since 2000

ON World Cancer Day recently, BreastCheck announced that since it began screening in February 2000 and up to the end of November 2011, their programme provided 826,210 mammograms to 368,851 women, resulting in 5,071 breast cancer detections.
The theme of this year’s World Cancer Day was together it is possible and BreastCheck is hoping that all eligible women, especially those who have not availed of their invitation for a mammogram before, will take the opportunity to consider the benefits.
Majella Byrne, acting director of the national cancer screening service, said it is a quick, easy and free service that takes approximately half an hour.
“In about 99% of cases, women who have a BreastCheck mammogram get a normal result and where breast cancer is found early, it is likely to be easier to treat. Participation in BreastCheck exceeds our target of 70% and is particularly high when women attend for a subsequent screening two years later. We would like to build on this success by encouraging a greater number of women to take part,” Ms Byrne said. 
Women aged between 50 and 64 are advised to make sure their name is on the BreastCheck register. Once on the register and known to the programme, a woman will automatically be contacted when BreastCheck is screening in her area.
“If a woman is not on the BreastCheck register, there are two simple ways to add her details. She can either register herself online in the ‘self search and register online’ section of wwwbreastcheck.ie or there are self-registration forms available from BreastCheck that can be completed and returned by freepost. These forms are available on request by calling the BreastCheck information line on Freephone 1800 454555,” she explained.
“Each of the 120,730 women screened during 2010 is someone’s mother, sister, friend or cousin. It is often through talking to one another that the extremely busy women of Ireland take the decision to participate in our programme.
“A cancer can occur at any time and between mammograms. BreastCheck urges all women, whether they are part of the BreastCheck programme or not, to remain breast aware at all times.
“Every woman should look at and feel her breasts regularly for any changes, such as a lump, dimpling or puckering of the skin, a rash or flaky skin around the nipple, a change in the size or shape of the breast, swelling in the armpit or around the collarbone or constant pain in one part of the breast or armpit.
“There are many reasons for changes in the breast. Most of them are harmless, but it is important that any change is immediately checked by a GP,” Ms Byrne continued.
BreastCheck compiles a register of women eligible for screening from information supplied by the Department of Social Protection, general medical services and private health insurance providers.
The register contains a woman’s name, address and date of birth and is used to invite women for their mammogram. If a woman receives an appointment for a time or date that doesn’t suit, it can be easily rearranged.