Mid-west must wait for BreastCheck

WOMEN in the mid-west will have to wait another two years to avail of national BreastCheck appointments, Labour Health spokeswoman Jan O’Sullivan TD claimed yesterday.

BreastCheck has just been introduced in Cork and the unit there will also cover Kerry, Waterford and Tipperary South.

Ms O’Sullivan said a full national BreastCheck should be introduced without discriminating between different parts of the county.

She said: “It is still extremely disappointing that all eligible women in Limerick and the greater mid-west will not be called for a screening until the end of 2009.”

The National Cancer Screening Service yesterday could not confirm when a mobile screening unit will be made available in Limerick.

A spokesperson said: “Whilst an exact screening date cannot be provided for the women in Limerick, we wish to provide assurance again that plans are under way and that BreastCheck is committed to the earliest possible provision of quality-assured screening.”

Ms O’Sullivan said she will continue to press Health Minister Mary Harney to complete a nationwide roll out of the BreastCheck programme, which is only available to women aged between 50 and 63.

Ms O’Sullivan said she wants the higher age limit raised to 68 to match other European countries.

In its annual report, BreastCheck states that it screened more than 63,000 people in 2006.

Nearly 2,000 were recalled for assessment and of these 337 were diagnosed with breast cancer.