Community Transport is getting behind the initiative and say they’ll be on board to help with anyone wanting to arrange transport to the mobile unit which will be stationed at  the Bellingen Showgrounds on Black Street.

Two new locations – Bellingen and Nambucca Heads – have been added to the BreastScreen mobile unit’s 2018 schedule.

From February, the distinctive mobile unit will visit both communities with the aim of helping women detect breast cancer early through free screening mammograms.

“It is important to know that most women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a family history of breast cancer,” BreastScreen NSW Health Promotion Coordinator Mary Burns said.

“Regular breast x-rays (mammograms) can detect breast cancer in its early stages and early detection is the key to successful treatment.

“A free mammogram every two years could save your life. Appointments are free and take only 20 minutes. No referral is required.”

About 330,000 women are screened every year as part of the BreastScreen NSW program.

Approximately 12,000 women on the Mid North Coast access the BreastScreen program each year, however, about 10 per cent of women on the Mid North Coast are not screening at all on a regular basis. 

The Director of BreastScreen for the Mid North Coast and Northern NSW Local Health Districts, Jane Walsh, said the mobile unit would bring potentially lifesaving cancer screening service directly to women in the Bellinger and Nambucca valleys.

“Fixed BreastScreen sites have been available at the major population centres of Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie for many years now, but we know that women in rural and regional communities are more likely to use the service if it easier to access,” Ms Walsh said.

“The mobile units do exactly that - they bring state-of-the-art breast screen technology to regional and rural communities, regardless of their size or proximity to larger towns and cities.

“The mobile unit has digital mammography equipment and wireless connectivity, which means mammograms can be sent quickly to two specialist doctors for review.”

Ms Walsh said a mammogram can detect cancers as small as a grain of rice.

“We know that breast cancer treatment is most successful when the cancer is still small and has not spread to other parts of the body.

“When breast cancer is picked up early, most women will recover and can get back to normal life, so a 20-minute breast screen appointment every two years can make all the difference.”

BreastScreen NSW’s mobile unit will visit Bellingen from Monday 26 February 26 to Wednesday February 28.

Women are reminded to book their appointment early to avoid missing out.

All women over the age of 40 are eligible and women aged 50 to 74 are particularly encouraged to attend for two-yearly mammograms. Appointments can be made by calling 13 20 50.

To contact Community Transport to talk through your transport options, call 1300 812 504.