WOMEN living in the Loddon Shire will be encouraged to increase their breast awareness at a health day being planned for early next year.
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The Be Breast Aware event is designed to highlight the importance of a having a regular mammogram and aims to reach out to women living in Raywood, Pyramid Hill, Wedderburn and Dingee.
The event is a joint initiative by the Bendigo Loddon Primary Care Partnership, BreastScreen Victoria, the Sexual Health Task Group member agencies, Inglewood and Districts Health Service, Bendigo Community Health Services, Women’s Health Loddon Mallee and Northern Districts Community Health Service.
A date for the Be Breast Aware event is still being finalised but participants will be transported to Bendigo, receive a free mammogram, health education, light refreshments, and a social outing to local shops.
Inglewood and Districts Health Service health promotion and community development officer Bethany Maher said a similar event was in May.
"We had fantastic attendance at the first event," she said.
"We had a bus full of ladies and it's sort of a pamper day as well as highlighting the importance of having a regular mammogram."
Meanwhile, Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell has released participation statistics for women in the Bendigo electorate who participate in the free BreastScreen Victoria program.
“I am encouraged that an average of 61 per cent of women in Bendigo East and West are having a regular mammogram every two years,” Ms Lovell said.
“This is seven per cent higher than the state participation rate, but I would like to encourage women to continue their commitment to screening every two years because finding cancer early saves lives.
“The biggest risk factor for breast cancer is being a woman over 50 years of age.
The biggest risk factor for breast cancer is being a woman over 50 years of age.
- Wendy Lovell
"With one in nine Victorian women diagnosed with the disease, the free mammogram screening program is the best way of finding cancer early before any symptoms are noticed and when treatment is likely to be most successful.”
BreastScreen Victoria has 39 permanent screening clinics and eight assessment services. The mobile screening service visits 29 locations every two years. Visit breastscreen.org.au for more information.
