'Big Bus' plans for Action Cancer and Supervalu

Leading local charity Action Cancer has unveiled plans for a unique mobile cancer service which should be operational by 2006, with the help of independent supermarket chain SuperValu.

The Action Cancer Direct service - a double decker coach housing a mammography (breast screening) suite and health promotion facilities - will also offer counselling and complementary therapies for cancer patients. State of the art computer work stations will provide public access to quality health information.

The new high tech mobile, nicknamed The Big Bus, looks set to cost £400,000, with almost two-thirds of this figure being provided by sponsor SuperValu.

Action Cancer's chief executive, Robin McRoberts said, "Action Cancer Direct represents a significant investment in our cancer prevention and early detection programmes and shows Action Cancer's commitment to making innovative life saving and life enhancing services accessible to everyone, particularly those in areas of greatest need.

"Seventy-thousand women have used our existing mobile service over the last quarter century. With SuperValu's support the new mobile will allow us to help not only more women but also men, with an extended range of services on board this much bigger and more modern vehicle."

Action Cancer plans to have the new bus on the road by September next year and says it will visit around 200 sites annually, including community groups and workplaces.

Dr Adrian Mairs, consultant in Public Health Medicine for the Northern Health and Social Services Board endorsed the charity's plans saying,

"As a public health doctor I am particularly delighted that the bus will be used to deliver important cancer prevention and early detection services, since these are key to reducing the number of cancers and the risk of death from the disease." he continued.

Action Cancer Direct will replace the charity's existing mobile which has been offering breast awareness, cervical screening and cancer information for the past 27 years. Over 2,500 women use the current service each year and it has been funded by SuperValu since 2001.

Nigel Briggs, managing director of Musgrave SuperValu-Centra NI explained SuperValu's input to the Action Cancer Direct initiative, "For the past three years SuperValu has funded the Action Cancer mobile detection unit through sponsorship and fundraising, as a way to give something back to the local communities where our stores trade.

"Together with our retail partners, we are committed to the challenge to raise most of the money needed to buy and furnish this exciting new mobile over the next 18 months. This is a logical step in our partnership and one which we hope will help save many lives in the future."

For information about Action Cancer Direct contact the charity on 028 9080 3344.