FIRST PERMANENT BREASTSCREEN SERVICE STARTS IN GYMPIE

Gympie’s first permanent breastscreen service has started providing free mammograms for local residents, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.

Mr Robertson said the new State Government-funded service began operating last month, saving many Gympie women having to travel to Nambour for a mammogram.

“Originally, Breastscreen Queensland only visited Gympie for around three months of the year,” Mr Robertson said.

“Now the service will be based in Gympie all year round which is a significant improvement to health services in the region.

“I hope it will increase the number of women accessing the free BreastScreen Service. Our target is to screen around 2,000 Gympie women each year.

“It will also limit the travel time required for those women who previously accessed the Nambour service.”

Mr Robertson said for the past 10 years, Nambour’s relocatable service had operated in Gympie for three months and Tin Can Bay for two weeks each year.

“But the amount of time the relocatable service was based in Gympie could not be extended, so some women had to travel one hour each way to Nambour for mammogram.

“Thankfully, for most Gympie women that drive will be a thing of the past.

“Now those who chose not to travel to Nambour will be able to access this free service easily and quickly.

“I expect to see an increase in the number of women using the BreastScreen Service which is great because regular breast cancer screening every two years is the best way to find breast cancer early before it can be felt or noticed”.

All women 40 years and over are encouraged to take advantage of free mammograms carried out by Breastscreen Queensland. Women 50-69 years are strongly encouraged to book in for regular mammograms.

The Gympie Service is located at the Cooloola Specialist & Diagnostic Centre, Cooloola Private Hospital, 74-76 Channon Street Gympie.

The service is open Tuesday and Wednesday of each week.

BreastScreen Queensland’s relocatable service will be in Tin Can Bay for three weeks from 16 April until 4 May at Cathy House.

This relocatable service in Tin Can Bay will continue to operate each year.

To book an appointment with BreastScreen Queensland for Gympie or Tin Can Bay phone 13 20 50.

3 April,  2007

MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185