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Screening saves lives
As a new centre for breast cancer screening opens in Hull, a former breast cancer patient tells how she beat the disease
Christine Crawforth never takes chances with her health.
Every three years, whenever she received a letter through the post inviting her to be screened for breast cancer, she would always attend the appointment.
The appointments showed no cause for concern until just over a year ago when a routine screening at Castle Hill Hospital detected the early signs of cancer inside her breast.
Since then Christine (68) has been treated with surgery (to remove a breast lump), 15 doses of radiotherapy, medication, and follow-up appointments to fight her illness.
She recently received the news that the treatment has been successful.
"I can't describe how happy and relieved I felt to be told that there was no longer any cancer in my breast – it means so much to me and my family," says Christine, from Bilton.
"Without the mammogram appointment the cancer would have gone undetected for another year.
"At a more advanced stage my chances of surviving the cancer would have been greatly reduced so the breast screening helped to save my life.
"I can now look forward to the future again and start thinking about booking my summer holiday."
All women in Hull aged 50 - 70 are sent letters every three years inviting them to attend mammogram appointments.
Ladies over 70 can still be screened and just need to fill out a form at their GP surgery to refer themselves for screening.
Breast screening is a method of detecting breast cancer at a very early stage.
It involves taking an X-ray image called a mammogram to provide diagnostic images of each breast.
A radiographer helps a patient to position one breast at a time on a small flat plate, with an X-ray plate beneath it.
There is another flat plate above the breast.
When the machine is switched on, the breast is pressed between the plates by the machine for a few moments.
This gives a clear picture for doctors to examine.
The mammogram can detect small changes in breast tissue which may indicate cancers that are too small to be felt either by the woman herself or by a doctor.
"I have friends who can't be bothered to go for breast screening appointments and they are taking a hell of a risk," adds Christine.
"No woman enjoys having a mammogram as it's uncomfortable, but once it is over you can forget about it for another three years."
Christine is now a member of HER Breast Friends, a group of women who are undergoing treatment or who have beaten the disease.
They raise funds for cancer research and arrange pamper days for patients where they can have their hair and nails done for free.
Putting health first
Members of the HER Breast Friends group meet to plan coffee mornings and other fund-raising events to support women with breast cancer |
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Women across Hull are being urged to put their health first and make use of the breast screening service now available at Health Central located in St Stephen's shopping centre in the city centre.
"There are many reasons a woman may decide not to accept her screening invitation," says John Lee, health promotion officer for the Humberside Breast Screening Programme.
"It may be due to lack of awareness of the Breast Screening Programme and understanding the benefits of finding something at such an early stage.
"It could also be due to difficulty accessing the service – but access is now greatly improved with the opening of Health Central.
"All women between the ages of 50 - 70 registered with a GP practice in the area receive a breast screening appointment every three years, and I strongly urge women to take up this opportunity – it could save their life."
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More on Health Central
Health Central, which opened last month on Ferensway, provides the people of Hull with an easily accessible and fully integrated healthy living centre offering a range of lifestyle, health advice and screening services.
Whether it's finding information and support on how to lose weight, eat healthily and stop smoking; having your weight, body mass index, body fat content, blood pressure and heart rate measured; or using a health information kiosk as a quick and easy way to check your symptoms and help you decide if medical help is required, all this and more is available by dropping in to Health Central.
Health Central is open 9.30am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday, and 10am - 3pm Saturday.
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Working in partnership |
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NHS Hull tel.
(01482) 344700 |
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