Free breast screening for 65-69 group may save 87 lives

Cancer campaigners from every constituency in Ireland have signed a petition calling on the Government to honour its commitment to extend free breast screening to women aged 65 to 69 in 2014.

The commitment is contained in the Government 2012 document Future Health, a three-year blueprint for health service reform.

However, even though the Irish Cancer Society claims that extending screening to this age group would save an additional 87 lives annually, the promised extension is off the cards for this year.