The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation is asking Hauraki-Coromandel residents for help to expand its early detection education programme.
The charity is fundraising for a new, state-of-the-art Pink Campervan which will allow its team of specialist breast nurses to reach more women in the country’s most isolated and rural communities.
According to the foundation, recent figures show that Waikato has one of the lowest participation rates in the national breast screening programme at 56.3 per cent, falling well short of BreastScreen Aotearoa’s 70 per cent target.
With one-third of breast cancers being diagnosed outside of New Zealand’s main centres, the Breast Cancer Foundation is endeavouring to reach more women in rural regions with its education programme to encourage more women to attend regular breast screening.
The foundation’s chief executive Ah-Leen Rayner said getting more women into screening and educating them about early detection was key to reaching zero deaths from breast cancer.
She said in the wake of Covid-19, screening levels were sent back 10 years.
“If we don’t act now, we’ll lose one of the best tools we have to deliver our life-saving messages, as our old Pink Caravan faces too many limitations.”
The charity’s old Pink Caravan, affectionately known as Pinkie, has travelled around the motu since 2014 with breast nurses on board, educating women about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, family risk, and the importance of mammograms and self-checking.
After thousands of kilometres travelled, the iconic retro caravan has become increasingly unfit for purpose. It relies on volunteers to tow it around, which restricts the timing and location of visits. The charity is building a new custom-made campervan that nurses will be able to drive themselves, giving them better access to hard-to-reach communities.
“We’re asking New Zealanders to help us to raise the funds to build a new Pink Campervan, so we can take these messages to every corner of the country, no matter how remote or isolated, where women need us the most,” Ah-Leen said.
DETAILS: During 2020 and 2021 the Breast Cancer Foundation’s Pink Caravan visited more than 160 towns and sites across New Zealand. Donations towards the new Pink Campervan can be made at www.breastcancerfoundation.org.nz
During 2020 and 2021 the Breast Cancer Foundation’s Pink Caravan visited more than 160 towns and sites across New Zealand. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
