Women urged to prioritise health

Katherine Robertson (left) and Paula Murray (right) with waterproof cards that hang in the shower to give instructions on the best procedure for breast self-examination

While eight out of ten women from more advantaged backgrounds accept their invitations to attend breast screening, the figure falls to four out of ten for women living in certain deprived areas in Northern Ireland.

To address this, the Women’s Resource and Development Agency (WRDA) is delivering a comprehensive face to face, and online, breast screening awareness programme encouraging women to be more cancer aware and to attend vital screening appointments.

The WRDA’s awareness programme, funded by the Public Health Agency, was developed to help tackle inequalities in the uptake of breast cancer screening.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Deirdre Quinn, the WRDA’s Training Development Co-ordinator appealed to women in Lisburn to access its free services, which are available online and through community workshops.

Ms Quinn said: “Women in more disadvantaged communities often feel they don’t have time to look after themselves.

“They are too busy struggling to make ends meet or looking after their families. Our message to them is - prioritise yourself. Don’t ignore your screening invitation. Also remember to do a regular breast check.”