Fully Paid Mammograms for Women 40

v Pilot has commenced in Tauranga

The Breast Cancer Action Trust is delighted to be able to gift free or subsidized mammograms through the Trust's "Save the Women" Programme effective 1st October for the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The funding for this has come from fundraising by the Trustees. The aim of the Programme is to provide access to mammography for women where cost is a barrier and they are not eligible through age to the Breast Screening Aotearoa Programme - otherwise the cost is approximately $120 per mammogram, for private referral through your GP.

The "Save the Women" Programme and the mammograms being gifted by the Trust are subject to the criteria that women are; 40 - 45 years, symptom free, no close family history, and have a Community Services Card. We say, no close family history, because women with close family history are already classified as high risk and are entitled to a free mammogram regardless of age and without symptoms, on referral from their Doctor through the hospital. Any women with symptoms, regardless of age, are automatically entitled to a free mammogram on referral through their Doctor. As with the "Save the Women" Programme, 40 - 45 years and Breast Screen Aotearoa 45 - 69 years, these are about screening women that are symptom free because it is about early detection before symptoms manifest themselves. The best protection and best outcomes for Breast Cancer, is early detection. Early Detection Saves Lives!

We are concerned about women 40 - 45 years because the rate of diagnosis is similar to 45 - 50 years, yet the younger the women is, who gets Breast Cancer, the more aggressive the tumours are, and these can grow very quickly within a year, which is why early detection is just so vital. Below 40 years, awareness and early detection is still very important, though the diagnosis rate drops significantly.

In 2004 the age of Breast Screening was expanded to 45 - 69 years (previously 50 - 64 yrs) following a Petition of 125,000 signatures by Debbie and Tim Short, calling for the age to be 40 - 70 years, which is why the Save the Women Programme targets 40 - 44 yrs to help those locally that missed out on the Breast Screening extension.

The average cost of a Mammogram nationwide is $120.

v ELIGIBLE WOMEN: 40 Yrs – 45^th birthday and initially only those who hold a Community Services Card.

v No Symptoms necessary as often by the time symptoms are present, the cancer has already advanced.

v Participating Pilot Providers in Tauranga are:

GATE PA MEDICAL CENTRE, CAMERON ROAD, TAURANGA.

v The “Save the Women” Programme Initiator is the Breast Cancer Action Trust, Phone 07 5443 481

- Contact Debbie Short or Tim Short.

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v Donations to the Programme can also be made as follows:

o BREAST CANCER ACTION TRUST any ANZ BANK

o PHONE 07 5443 481 FOR PURCHASE OF THE “SAVE THE WOMEN” MUSIC CD of which $10 goes to the “Save the Women” Programme.

Debbie Short has released a Music CD "Save the Women" – her own original songs (words and music) - inspired by her experiences with Breast Cancer. She sings her songs, including two -"Have a Mammogram" and "We're a Family" with her daughters Rebecca, Jacinda and Louisa.

$10.00 from each CD sale is going towards the Breast Cancer Action Trust "Save the Women" Subsidized Mammography Programme.