Dozens of Women Partake in First-Ever Integrated Cancer Screening Day
Written by admin, November 12, 2012
November 10, 2012 – Event Highlights Importance of Breast, Cervical and Colorectal Cancer Screening for Local Residents
Today dozens of local women enjoyed a little pampering and fun while undergoing a day of breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening in a unique event designed to increase local cancer screening rates.
Entitled “The Cancer Screening Day: A Day for Women, By Women”, the event featured gift bags, manicures, and pink umbrella-sporting escorts to help patients move between screening locations at the Peterborough Clinic and the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). The event was organized as a pilot project by Peterborough Public Health, PRHC and the Peterborough Clinic exclusively for patients rostered with the Clinic.
“We know that local cancer screening rates are lower in Peterborough County and City than the provincial average, so we are thrilled to be a part of this creative way to raise awareness and make the screening process less daunting for those who will truly benefit,” said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health. “Early detection through cancer screening for those who do not have any symptoms remains one of the most effective ways to reduce your cancer risk.”
“PRHC’s Breast Assessment Centre brings together technologists, radiologists and diagnostic imaging services in the assessment and care for women’s breast health,” said Bobbi Martin-Haw, Manager of PRHC’s Women’s Health Centre and Breast Assessment Centre. “It’s important to remind women that they need to screen for life. Cancer screening sees what you can’t. One of the key roles of the Centre is our breast health navigator who provides patients with education to support and assists with a patient’s journey from diagnoses to treatment.”
“The Cancer Screening Day has been a very interesting initiative to be involved with,” said Anna Jamieson, Nurse Practitioner at the Peterborough Clinic who helped organize today’s event. “Providing a novel cancer screening model for women over 50 years has been enthusiastically received by our patients. All the partners involved have been supportive of this initiative. The Peterborough Clinic, specifically our physician partners and our staff have been invaluable in the planning process. The Peterborough Clinic has provided the space and equipment needed to execute the day. The Family Health Team has also played a key role in providing staff for the day.
My hope is that other groups adopt this model to make screening more accessible for busy women and to reach the under-screened populations.”
The goal of the event was to increase local participation rates for breast, cervical and colorectal screening by engaging residents who do not typically participate in cancer screening. Research shows that those who are “under/never screened” are more likely to experience barriers to cancer screening than those who undergo screening at recommended intervals. These barriers include income, language, immigrant background, mobility, and sexual orientation.
Peterborough is part of a study looking at ways to improve screening rates for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer that shows current rates differ depending on where you live. Details of the study can be found at www.getscreened.ca.
According to Cancer Care Ontario, the benefits to cancer screening are significant:
- Breast: Regular breast cancer screening can find cancer when it is small. Finding cancer early means there is a better chance of treating it successfully.
- Cervical: Cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable with regular screening, appropriate and timely follow-up of abnormal Pap test results and, recently, HPV immunization.
- Colorectal: When colorectal cancer is caught early through screening, a person with colorectal cancer has a 90% chance of being cured.
For more information about local cancer screening options and how you can reduce your risk, please visit http://www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca/my-life-health/adults/cancer-prevention-screening/.
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For further information, please contact:
Mary Pat Fasken, RN Amanda Roffey
Cancer Prevention Program Communications Advisor
Peterborough Public Health Peterborough Regional Health Centre
705-743-1000, ext. 217 705-743-2121, ext. 3659