Breast Cancer Awareness Month

“Prevention and early detection are key to saving lives from breast cancer,” said Dr Adrian Mairs, Consultant in Public Health at the PHA and Quality Assurance Director for the Northern Ireland Breast Screening Programme.

“Regular breast screening reduces the risk of death from breast cancer. On average 1 life will be saved from breast cancer for every 200 women screened.”

It’s also very important to be breast aware, which means getting to know your breasts, whatever your age, shape or size.  It’ll then be easier to notice any unusual changes and report them to your doctor without delay.  There’s no right or wrong way to check, as long as you do it regularly.  Most cases of breast cancer are found by women noticing unusual changes and acting on their observations.

What to look out for:

• Changes in size, shape and skin texture, such as puckering or dimpling.
• Redness or a rash on the skin around the nipple, dishcarge from the nipple, or an inverted or turned in nipple.
• A lump or thickening of breast tissue or a pain in your breast or armpit
• Swelling in your armpit or in the area around your collarbone

WRDA offers a Breast, Cervical and Bowel Screening Awareness Programme that includes a practical demonstration on how to check your breasts and the signs and symptoms to look out for, as well as information on the importance of going for a mammogram and what happens when you attend for a mammogram

If you are interested in the programme or would like further information please contact Isobel Loughran on 028 9023 0212 or email [email protected]