This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, eligible women across the Hunter New England region are being urged to book a free mammogram, with 40 per cent of women in the area currently overdue for their two-yearly screening.
For women aged 50–74, a breast screen every two years through BreastScreen NSW remains the most effective way to detect breast cancer early — before it can be seen or felt.
Acting Manager of BreastScreen NSW Hunter New England, Bec Delaporte, said with almost 900 local women expected to be diagnosed this year, screening needs to be a top priority.
“If you’re aged 50 to 74, make breast screening a priority. It only takes 20 minutes and a doctor’s referral isn’t required,” Ms Delaporte said.
“Early detection significantly increases survival chances and can greatly reduce the need for invasive treatment like a mastectomy.”
This year’s Be A Friend, Tell A Friend campaign encourages people to spread the word about regular screening and how to book an appointment.
In October 2024, a record 36,500 women across NSW booked their mammogram, and health authorities are hoping to surpass that figure this year.
NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW, Professor Tracey O’Brien AM, said the whole community has a role to play in reducing the impact of breast cancer.
“Talk to the women in your life and support them to be screened,” Professor O’Brien said.
“Our lives can change in an instant — that’s why I urge all women not to take their health for granted and to make time for a simple screening test that could save their life.”
Breast cancer remains the most common cancer diagnosed in Australian women. BreastScreen NSW recommends women aged 50–74 have a mammogram every two years, with Aboriginal women encouraged to start from age 40.
Women who notice any changes in their breasts, such as a lump, are urged to see their doctor without delay.
For more information and to make an appointment at a local BreastScreen NSW clinic or mobile van,
call 13 20 50 or book online at www.breastscreen.nsw.gov.au.
