Barnsley Foodbank backs Breast Cancer Awareness month

Barnsley Foodbank has teamed up with the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw screening team in a bid to encourage local women to take up their breast screening invites.

October is breast cancer awareness month and throughout the month Barnsley Foodbank will be promoting the importance of attending breast screening appointments to service users across the area.

Connor Hayes, Project Coordinator for Barnsley Foodbank Partnership said: “I am aware of how many people are affected by breast cancer and I think it is important that we help encourage our service users and members of the community to be proactive about their health and attend their screening appointments.”

Breast screening is an important way of detecting breast cancer, allowing for early diagnosis and prompter treatment. Mammograms can pick up things we wouldn’t usually be able to pick up ourselves, highlighting the importance of attending screening appointments. However approximately 1 in 5 women across Barnsley are not taking up their screening appointments.

Judith Clark, Superintendent Radiographer at Barnsley Hospital said: “Early diagnosis and prompt treatment remain the most effective way to reduce the impact of breast cancer. Early detection offers a better chance of successful treatment and full recovery.

“I would like to urge all women to make sure they are taking up their breast screening invitations and if they have missed an appointment to contact us at the clinic to reschedule.”

Women aged between 50 and 70 years are invited for breast screening every three years, with some women being invited slightly earlier between 47 and 50 years as part of a pilot scheme. Women aged over 70 can self-refer by contacting the screening unit.

If you would like more information on the screening process or would like to reschedule your appointment, please telephone the clinic on 01226 432100 if you live in Barnsley or 01709 424807 if you live in Rotherham.

Join the fight and take up your invite.