A ROUTINE medical check not long after she turned 50 years old saved Janelle Gervasoni’s life.
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She was among a number of community members who celebrated the opening of BreastScreen’s new Bathurst site on Morrisset Street on Monday.
Ms Gervasoni said she hoped that by speaking out other women would have regular mammograms.
Like many women her age she was busy getting on with her life, she had no family history of breast cancer and thought her first mammogram would be nothing more than “routine”.
“They found an 11 millimetre lump, it was stage two breast cancer,” Ms Gervasoni said. “I felt nothing there, there was no lump. Only a mammogram would have picked it up.”
Ms Gervasoni is now a breast cancer survivor and said: “My outcome was incredibly positive. It’s lifesaving.”
“I hope BreastSscreen continues to be a catalyst that saves so many women.”
The BreastScreen NSW unit has made the move from Bathurst Hospital to 35 Morrisset Street where it continues to offer dedicated care to women.
“Cancer is more likely to be found early, treatment is less invasive,” BreastScreen NSW Greater Western manager Meg O'Brien said of the benefits of having regular mammograms.
“Seventy-five per cent of breast cancer occurs in women over 50.
Nine out of 10 women diagnosed have no family history of breast cancer.”
Ms O’Brien said 46.2 per cent of Bathurst women do not get screened via a mammogram every two years as recommended.
Bathurst clinical co-ordinator and surgeon Dr Melinda Van Oosterum said the new site was less clinical and more comfortable that the previous hospital environment.
“Privacy is really important in checking with screening and a cancer diagnosis,” she said.
Women aged 50 to 74 years are encouraged to have a mammogram every two years.
Bathurst BreastScreen is a free service and no referral is required.
The centre is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Appointments can be made by calling 13 20 50.
Why have a mammogram?
- One in eight women in NSW will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
- Nine out of 10 women who develop breast cancer do not have a family history of breast cancer.
- Breast screening can find cancers before they can be felt or noticed - you have a better chance of survival when breast cancer is found early.
- BreastScreen target women aged 50 to 74 to have a screening mammogram every two years.
- Twenty minutes every two years can offer peace of mind.
- No doctor’s referral is needed (but BreastScreen encourage you to share your results with your doctor).
The statistics
FEDERAL member for Calare Andrew Gee attended Monday’s opening of the Bathurst BreastScreen clinic.
As a melanoma survivor he said cancer support was a cause close to his heart.
He shared some data on breast cancer:
- There will be 17,586 women and 144 men diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
- Around 3087 females and 28 males will die from breast cancer during 2017.
Nadine Morton
Nadine Morton covers emergency services and breaking news for the Illawarra Mercury. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Nadine Morton covers emergency services and breaking news for the Illawarra Mercury. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au
