• State of the art breast screening unit opens by Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
• Drive to boost screening amongst minority ethnic communities and women on low incomes
Internationally renowned designer Zandra Rhodes today joined the Deputy Mayor of London Victoria Borwick to call for more women to get screened for breast cancer, during a visit to a new state of the art screening unit that has opened next to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
The new unit, which will serve around 180,000 women in north and east London, is part of the Sir Ludwig Guttmann Health and Wellbeing Centre, which has been developed at former site of the Olympics Medical and Doping Centre for the London 2012 Games.
Around 4,700 women are diagnosed in London each year. However, the capital has the lowest uptake of breast screening in the UK. This leads to later diagnosis making the cancers harder to treat.
Until recently Newham had amongst the lowest screening rate in the capital. A Community Links programme, funded by NHS England has led to a 15 per cent rise in the take up of health screenings in the borough – rising to 66.7 per cent of the eligible population in three years.
It is hoped the new service, in a community rather than hospital setting will help build on this progress, particularly amongst women from minority ethnic communities and those on low incomes. They are often less likely to attend a first routine breast cancer screening appointment and early diagnosis increases the probability of successful treatment.
Dame Zandra Rhodes, who the Mayor appointed as the London Breast Cancer Ambassador in 2013, said: 'More women are outliving breast cancer than ever before and it is because of wonderful services like this one that spot cancer when it is still early and treatable. But breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK, and thousands of women still lose their lives to it every year. You are more likely to survive breast cancer if it is caught at an early stage so if you are a woman over the age of 50, get screened.'
Victoria Borwick, Deputy Mayor of London, said: 'Across the capital breast cancer has a devastating impact on thousands of women and their loved ones, but it is a disease that is in many cases treatable, particularly if caught early. We are calling on women over 50 or have concerns about breast cancer to go for a screening or seek advice. My hope is that community focused centres like this one will also encourage more women on low incomes and from minority communities to come forward to get screened.'
The Community Links programme, funded by NHS England, encourages women to attend their appointments and offers support, advice and reassurance. It has been so successful in Newham that the NHS plans to develop this model for the rest of East London, and eventually London as a whole.
Zoraida Colorado, Health Projects Co-ordinator of Community Links said: 'We employed local women from a range of cultural backgrounds to remind patients of their breast screening appointment and the importance of taking this life saving opportunity. Thanks to this project, we have managed to increase the uptake of breast screening by 15% in Newham and women have been grateful for the personalised service.'
Tee Fabikun, a breast cancer survivor, who has set up breast cancer support group 'The New Beginnings, said: 'I am one of those that did not throw the Breast screening invitation letter into the bin. I can easily say that it is thanks to NHS that I am alive today. The cancer was discovered as a result of routine mammogram, and I encourage everyone and anyone to please go for their mammogram and not throw the invitation into the bin.'
Notes to editors
1. Dame Zandra Rhodes was appointed by the Mayor of London as the London Breast Cancer Ambassador in July 2013. She is one of the country's most iconic designers and has stamped her identity on the international world of fashion, as well as in other areas of the arts. Zandra's mother died of cancer and she has been a long-term supporter of Breast Cancer Campaign. She has campaigned to raise awareness of the disease and is passionate in her support for further research into a cure.
2. In 2008 the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer amongst women in the UK was 1 in 8. The incidence of breast cancer increases with age. The disease is extremely rare in women in their teens or early twenties and uncommon in women under 35. After this age the risk begins to increase, rising sharply after the menopause. Eighty per cent of cases occur in post-menopausal women. 83% of patients diagnosed between 2005 and 2007 in London survived for five-years after diagnosis .
3. Women under 50 are not currently offered routine screening under the NHS Breast Screening Programme as research has shown that routine screening in the 40 to 50 age group is less effective. The programme invites women for screening every three years from the age of 50 up to the age of 70, and the NHS is planning to extend the programme to women up to age 73 by 2016. Women over the age of 73 are still entitled to be screened every three years and should call their local screening unit to make an appointment.
4. The Sir Ludwig Guttmann Health and Wellbeing Centre is an integrated health and wellbeing centre designed to support and encourage east London residents to live healthier, happier lives. In addition to a GP practice and pharmacy, the centre offers Newham residents a range of other community health and wellbeing services as well as hosting academic, research and development services, including sports medicine. http://www.guttmann.nhs.uk