Women Are Skipping their Mammograms

It’s an alarming stat: more than half of women aged 50-74 fail to have a mammogram, despite breast cancer affecting one in nine women.

The new research by BreastScreen NSW reveals that the main reason why women skip their mammogram is ‘lack of time’, even though 95 per cent of women believe screening may save their life.

Earlier this year, TV personality and ambassador for the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade Kerri-Anne Kennerley stressed the importance of breast screening as part of National Prevention Week , after her own personal battle with the condition.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would happen to me. I have no family history of it,” she said.

Related: Kerri-Anne Kennerley: "My Cancer Battle"

“When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, it had been three years since my last screening mammogram. Luckily I noticed the lump quite early, but if I’d had my mammogram when it was due, the cancer may have been picked up earlier.

According to the NSW Minister for Health, Jillian Skinner, early detection is key to survival. “A woman diagnosed today with breast cancer in NSW has among the highest chances of survival in the world,” she said.

Since the establishment of the BreastScreen program in 1991, breast cancer deaths in Australia have been reduced by up to 28 per cent.

Breast cancer: the facts

• 1 in 9 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
• 9 out of 10 women who develop breast cancer do not have a family history of breast cancer.
• Breast screening can find cancers before they can they can be felt or noticed – you have a better chance of survival when breast cancer is found early.
• Women aged 50-69 should get a mammogram every two years.
• 30 minutes every two years can offer peace of mind.
• No doctor’s referral is needed (but we encourage you to share your results with your doctor.
Credit: BreastScreenNSW

Women are encouraged to visit www.facebook.com/breastscreennsw where they can share the viral pledge and tag their loved ones as their ‘Reason to Screen’.

Women can register for a screening appointment on the Facebook page, or by visiting BreastScreen NSW.