BreastCheck has reiterated the importance of women between 50 and 64 availing of a regular mammogram when invited.
The programme also encourages women in the age range to make sure they are on the BreastCheck register by checking online at www.breastcheck.ie or by calling Freephone 1800 45 45 55. For those women who have never been part of BreastCheck, there is a short video about having a mammogram on the website, showing exactly what happens at the appointment.
Most women aged 50-64 have had at least one free BreastCheck mammogram, and eight out of every ten women come for their next mammogram when they get their appointment. However, the overall numbers of women taking part in the programme are falling and BreastCheck is particularly concerned that women in their early 50s are becoming less likely to go for their appointment.
The risk of breast cancer increases with age and it is important women aged 50-64 avail of their regular free mammogram every two years so that changes can be identified at an early stage. At this point, if a breast cancer is find it is generally easier to treat and there are more treatment options available.
Since BreastCheck began in February 2000 it has provided more than one million mammograms to over 470,000 women and detected over 8,000 cancers. A BreastCheck appointment only takes 30 minutes.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.