Less than half of Wyndham women above the age of 50 are taking advantage of free mammograms.
That’s the word from BreastScreen Victoria, with its Werribee office recording a 49.1 per cent participation rate among Wyndham women aged above 50 between 2014-16. This is below the state average of 53.2 per cent and means about 10,000 eligible Wyndham women in the 50-74 age bracket had not had a mammogram.
BreastScreen Victoria recommends women aged above 50 have a breast screen once every two years, with women aged 50-69 accounting for half of all women diagnosed with breast cancer.
Last week, the centre held a breast cancer screening day exclusively for culturally and linguistically diverse women, in partnership with the Wyndham Community and Education Centre, so migrant women could learn more about breast health.
Wyndham CEC settlement services co-ordinator Richard Dove said many migrant women were unfamiliar with Western health practices and might experience anxiety in accessing health services.
BreastScreen chief executive Vicki Pridmore added: “This screen day recognises the organisation’s commitment to ensuring culturally and linguistically diverse women are educated about the importance of regular breast screening.”
Werribee BreastScreen is located at 27 Princes Highway, Werribee. Call 13 20 50 for more information and to book.
