DAFFODIL Day was celebrated with the opening of a permanent BreastScreen WA clinic in Mandurah last Friday.
The new clinic will help spearhead the campaign to increase local screening.
Opening the $550,000 centre, Health Minister John Day said screening rates remained steady in WA but fell short of the national target.
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READ NOW“We have to do better with breast screening,” he said.
“This state of the art clinic is about saving lives and improving the quality of life for cancer sufferers, through early diagnosis.
“The female population in the eligible 40 to 74 year old age group in the Mandurah area is expected to grow by 19 percent in the next decade.
“That means there will be 21,700 women in the higher-risk category, with research showing that around 2700 of these will likely develop breast cancer.”
The new, purpose-built facility replaces the visiting mobile unit, which had been servicing Mandurah and the broader Peel District.
“As a result, the mobile van will now be able to spend 15 more months during each two-year testing cycle meeting the growing demand in other regional areas across the State,” Mr Day said.
“The Liberal National Government is proud to contribute approximately $1.1 million per year towards the operations of BreastScreenWA, as part of our commitment to delivering quality health care services closer to home.
“This will include jointly funding new $296,000 awareness campaign to help lift screening rates in women aged 50-74, from 54 per cent towards the target of 70 per cent,” he said.
Testing takes less than 20 minutes and can detect tiny cancers that cannot be identified by touch.
More than 75 percent of breast cancers are found in women aged over 50.
For appointments see http://www.breastscreen.health.wa.gov.au or call 132050
Fact File The number of WA women receiving breast screens has grown from 103,111 in 2011-12 to 120,656 in 2015-16 financial year BreastScreen WA provides free breast screening mammograms every two years to women aged 40 years – including those with no breast cancer symptoms One in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime WA now has 11 permanent and four mobile BreastScreen WA clinics