McIlveen welcomes Big Bus to Stormont

October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Action Cancer has been encouraging women aged 40-49 and 70 plus (outside the NHS screening age) to avail of its free breast screening service available at Action Cancer House in South Belfast and also onboard the charity’s Big Bus.

As part of this campaign the Big Bus, which is a 18 metre-long articulated vehicle with expanding side pods, has paid a visit to Parliament Buildings on the Stormont Estate, giving Members of the Assembly’s Health Committee and the Chief Medical Officer the opportunity to see the service first hand.

In addition to the digital breast screening, the Big Bus offers MOT Health Checks to men and women. North Antrim MLA and Member of the Assembly Health Committee, David McIlveen attended the event.

The special event was organised as part of Action Cancer’s 40th anniversary and to celebrate the fact that 40,000 people have used the Big Bus since it was launched seven years ago, with funding from retailer SuperValu.

The Big Bus visits over 200 locations every year, making Action Cancer services accessible to people throughout Northern Ireland. As well as visits that are open to the public, community groups and workplaces can make private bookings.

Representatives from Action Cancer and the Big Bus sponsor, SuperValu met with Dr Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and members of the Health Committee to give them a guided tour of the Big Bus.