BreastScreen NSW has opened its services at the new South East Regional Hospital, Bega.
Director of BreastScreen for Southern NSW and Murrumbidgee Local Health Districts, Debbie Lattimore said BreastScreen had been planning the move since the hospital opened in March.
“It has been a matter of the logistics and finding a suitable mammographer,” she said. “We have been extremely fortunate to have employed on a three-day a week basis, a suitably qualified and wonderful woman in Sharon.
“Sharon has been a member of the mobile BreastScreen team for 12 years, travelling Australia-wide, and, luckily for the community in the valley, has decided to settle in Bega.
“A woman diagnosed with breast cancer in NSW today has among the highest chances of survival in the world. However, we know that early detection is the key to survival.
“Mammograms can detect cancers before they can be seen or felt. If detected early, survival from breast cancer can be as high as 97 per cent. It is vital for all NSW women aged between 50 and 74 to have a mammogram every two years at a BreastScreen NSW clinic. It is a free service that could save your life. Women should call 13 20 50 to book a breast screen today,” Ms Lattimore said.
The inclusion of BreastScreen in South East Regional Hospital has also been welcomed by Bega Valley Health Services general manager, Heather Austin, who sees BreastScreen as yet another complementary service offered within the hospital.
BreastScreen NSW is part of a national program which is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and NSW State governments.
