The NHS in England has launched its first ever awareness campaign to highlight the benefits of breast cancer screening. The campaign comes as annual data shows that 27% of eligible women in the South West are not up to date with their regular mammograms and over one in ten (12%) of those eligible have never been screened.
The landmark campaign sees celebrities, cancer survivors and NHS staff reassure women and encourage them to come forward for their potentially life-saving screening appointment.
Women between the ages of 50 and 71 are eligible for free breast screening every three years in the UK. Breast cancer is much more treatable when caught early and screening prevents an estimated 1,300 deaths nationally each year, often identifying cancers before the person feels any changes or notices symptoms themselves.
Angela, aged 60, who lives in Bath received a routine breast screening invitation in 2021. She felt healthy and had no symptoms, so was shocked to find out she had grade 1 breast cancer. The cancer had been caught at an early stage and was still small so could be removed and treated. Angela also received a daily course of medication to take for five years to reduce the chance of the cancer returning. Now fully recovered, Angela is passionate about encouraging other women like herself to take up their breast screening appointments and her experience has inspired many of her friends and family to get checked too.
Angela said: “I sometimes reflect on what would have happened if I had not gone for my appointment. My cancer was a flat, long shape, and I would have not noticed anything for probably a few more years, by which time, it would have grown and possibly spread, making it more difficult to treat.
‘’We have this amazing service on offer to us. The mammogram is a little bit uncomfortable, but that only lasts a few moments. The radiographers are all women, and it’s probably less embarrassing than many other things I could mention – but won’t! You might feel reluctant to have your mammogram, but it’s the most important thing you can do for your health. Mine took only a few minutes and ended up saving my life.”
Despite the benefits of screening, only 61% of women in the South West took up the offer of free breast screening when first invited.
A recent NHS survey of 2,000 women aged 50 – 71 showed that, in the South West, the majority (63%) underestimated survival rates for those diagnosed at the earliest stage. Nearly one in 10 women (9%) said embarrassment would stop them attending a breast screening appointment, while not having any symptoms (e.g. a lump) would prevent nearly one in five (18%).
Kayleigh Davenport, Screening Breast Cancer Nurse at University Hospitals Plymouth, said: “It’s completely normal to be nervous or feel embarrassed about your breast screening appointment, but your screening team is there to help and to make the experience as easy and comfortable as possible for you.
‘’It’s free to attend and only takes a few minutes, so please take the time for yourself. Screening could save your life or more likely, put your mind at ease’’.
Dr Michael Marsh, Medical Director for NHS England South West, said: “Breast cancer screening saves lives. Finding cancer early can make it more likely that treatment will be successful, so we want to encourage all women to attend their screening when invited, particularly if it’s your first time. We know that cancer survival rates are at an all-time high thanks to this focus on early detection. We want to continue to save more lives by ensuing as many women as possible have access to screening and can be diagnosed at the earliest stage.”