It’s time to prioritise getting a mammogram
M
aking time for a 15-minute health check is a no-brainer when that 15 minutes could save your life, and make sure you’re around for your loved ones, according to the Chief Executive of the Breast Cancer Foundation of New Zealand.
Ah-Leen Rayner acknowledges women lead busy lives and the cost of a mammogram if you don’t qualify for the free screening programme can be tough, but she says nine women a day are diagnosed with breast cancer in this country and early detection saves lives. “Mammograms are the best tool for diagnosing early. We only talk about our health when something goes wrong, we’re not being proactive and that has to change. We’re losing far too many women,” she says.
Stats paint a grim picture Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting New Zealand women and the third most common cancer in this country. Nine women a day receive the diagnosis, and one of them will be under 45. Of the 3,500 women diagnosed per year, 650 will lose their lives. Perhaps a lesser-known fact is 25 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. The Breast Screening Aotearoa programme currently only offers free screening to women aged 45 to 69, despite statistics showing the disease is more aggressive in younger women and at 70, women are at higher risk than at 50. Breast Cancer Foundation of New Zealand, Chief Executive, Ah-Leen Rayner
4
