women to prioritise their health by booking a free mammogram. With over 38,000 women screened across the Northern Sydney Local Health District in 2024, the campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of regular breast screenings.
Meredith Kay, Director of BreastScreen NSW Screening Assessment Service, highlighted the urgency of the campaign, noting that more than 300 local women are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. She stressed, “For women aged 50-74, a breast screen every two years is the best way to detect breast cancer early before it can be seen or felt.” Kay’s message was clear: “Put yourself and your health first and make breast screening a priority.”
The campaign, first launched in late 2023, has been refined to reach even more women, including those in areas with the highest numbers of under-screened women. According to new data from the Cancer Institute NSW, “around 3,100 additional cancers would be detected if every eligible woman had a regular mammogram.”
The campaign also targets priority populations, including Aboriginal women and Cantonese and Mandarin-speaking women aged 50-74. Professor Tracey O’Brien, NSW Chief Cancer Officer, emphasised that “early detection not only significantly increases a person’s chance of survival to 98 per cent, it can also greatly reduce the need for invasive treatment like a mastectomy.”