|
 YOUR breast matters and organisers of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month want women to get the message.
Its campaign this year aims to encourage women aged 50 and above to go for mammograms once every two years.
Latest statistics released by the Singapore Cancer Registry on trends in cancer incidence show that an average of 1,400 women were diagnosed with breast cancer each year between 2004 and 2008.
Two in 10 eventually succumbed to the disease.
“We can’t completely eradicate breast cancer, but we can save breasts and lives with early detection,” said Ms Noor Quek, vice-president of the Breast Cancer Foundation and co-chairman of this year’s awareness month.
This year, organisers are also including men in their drive to spread the breast cancer awareness message.
Mr Jackie Ng, chairman of the foundation’s Men’s Support League and co-chairman of the awareness month, said men can play a role in spreading the early-detection message by reminding their wives to do self-examinations and to go for regular mammograms.
Dr Ho Gay Hui, a senior consultant at the National Cancer Centre specialising in breast surgery, emphasised the importance of re-screening. “Having a normal mammogram the first time does not mean there is no chance you will get breast cancer later. It has to be done once every two years,” she said.
Breast cancer survivor Lim Lee Feng, 35, can attest to that.
She was 30 when she was diagnosed with the disease, and the part-time polytechnic lecturer did not even belong to a high-risk group of women between the ages of 55 and 59.
“I’ve learnt that you should not take things for granted. My take-home advice is to do self-checks. If there are any anomalies, find out more,” she said.
To encourage more women to go for mammograms, the cost of getting one done at polyclinics will be $10 lower just for next month.
The Health Promotion Board and various public health-care institutions have also lined up a series of educational talks and other activities to drive home the breast cancer awareness message.
The month-long Breast Matters campaign kicks off on Saturday with the Watsons Pink Ribbon Walk & Run at East Coast Park.
|