South West London Breast Screening

Coming along to your breast screening when you are invited is important , as it allows us to pick up very small areas in the breast that you would not be aware of .

Often the earlier breast cancer is detected the more straightforward the treatment is.

Please do come along when called .

A reminder to come along to your screening .
When diagnosed at an early stage cancer is usually much more straightforward to treat .

Please do come along when called .

Lauren Laverne: Desert Island Discs presenter diagnosed with cancer The BBC radio presenter hosts the BBC Radio 6 Music breakfast show and Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.

Have you been watching the Paris 2024 Olympics - its inspirational isn't it?
Did you know that taking part in exercise helps to reduce your chances of developing Breast Cancer and you don't need to be able to tumble like Simone Biles, dive like Tom Daley or play tennis like Andy Murray.
Just 150 minutes a week of exercise that increases your heart rate can be beneficial. So take that Olympic inspiration and get out and jog, walk, dance, garden or cycle, it really can make a difference to your health.
Image Credit - www.vecteezy.com/free-vector/paris-2024

This is South Asian Heritage Month and Ethnic Minority Cancer Month.
This seemed the perfect time to remind you that Breast Screening is open for all women over the age of 50.
The mammogram is always taken by a woman.
Its completely free.
Breast Screening Saves Lives.

All women are welcome at breast screening. If you have any questions or concerns about attending please call our nurses . The number is on your invitation letter .

When coming along for your screening.. it’s best to wear separates to make it quick and easy to prepare for your mammogram!
Some ladies like to wear a vest top that can just be lowered.

The mammographer will be female and the appointment usually only takes a few minutes.
Avoid creams and deodorants on the day as these can show on the mammograms.

It is important to attend when invited as breast screening saves lives .

Our nurse Charmaine was out spreading the word about Breast Screening and Breast Awareness to the BME community at the Croydon Cancer Conference 2024.
The BME community have a lower uptake than some other groups.

If you are of screening age (50 plus) and have missed your screening and would like to make an appointment
Please call 02037582024
We will be pleased to see you !

St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust joined the London Pride March with the important message of Inclusive Healthcare for All. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️
Here at South West London Breast Screening we wholeheartedly believe in this important message.
When invited please attend for breast screening -

This week is Learning Disability Week .. if you are a carer or support someone with a learning disability please contact us when they receive an invitation for screening.

Usually screening is possible with adaptations and support .
It is important that women with a learning disability are screened as early detection saves lives .

This week is international Nurses day. An opportunity to appreciate all our Nursing colleagues here at South West London Breast Screening.

Do the Chest Checklist. Noticing changes to your b***s could save your life. Wash day? Check your chest. Nail day? Check your chest. Make it monthly - noticing changes could save your life. #...

Beginning of a new month is a great time to check your breasts. If you notice anything different, you should contact your GP 💖

https://coppafeel.org/breast-cancer-info-and-advice/how-do-i-check/

Well said Breast Cancer Now!

18,942 women had cancers detected through breast screening last year.

Regular breast screening can find breast cancer before you notice any symptoms.

If you have been invited but missed or did not book your appointment, you can arrange one here: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-health-services/breast-screening-services

Please sign & share if you can ..

Breast Cancer Now are calling on the government and NHS England to run a national breast screening awareness campaign, targeted at those who need it most.

A national awareness campaign would help encourage women to attend their appointment when invited. Making sure they understand the importance of breast screening and busting some of the myths that put people off going.

Back our call for a national breast screening awareness campaign Screening finds most breast cancers early, when survival is almost 100%. That means if more women attend screening, we can save more lives from breast cancer. But the NHS target for how many women should be screened for breast cancer has just been missed for the fourth year in a row. If we want to s...

Have you been invited for your Mammogram? Please don’t put it off ..
contact us to change your appointment if it doesn’t suit .
Attending for your Breast Screening is an important part of taking care of your health.

Happy Diwali from all at South West London Breast Screening Service.

https://youtu.be/LfMh0azbZ8E?feature=shared

Dear Auntiji long with Infographic mark the end of breast cancer awareness month and remind all that breast cancer is part of life 365 days a year, we're launching a So...

Please come along for your breast screening when we invite you !

Please come along for your mammogram when we invite you .
Breast Cancer can be detected early before you feel a lump and often is easier to treat .

Today we attended the Richmond Full of Life fair. We spoke to over 100 people, sharing important information about Breast Screening, a very successful day. Thank you to everyone that stopped by to chat.

NHS London would like your views on breast screening in London..

Please take a moment to give your feedback by completing the questionnaire.

It will help us improve the service and plan for the future.

Thank you !

Please fill out this form

The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age. The condition is most common in women over 50 who have been through the menopause. About 8 out of 10 cases of breast cancer happen in women over 50.

Free breast screening is available to all women starting from around 50 .

Please come along for your breast screening when you are invited.
Early detection saves lives .

Ann’s story - about being diagnosed with cancer through Breast Screening .
Her story highlights why it is important to attend your screening- even if you have no symptoms.

"At the age of 53 I went for my first mammogram. I had no concerns and had not noticed any lumps or other signs. I got a letter calling me into the breast clinic for a follow-up appointment but just assumed that it was because the picture hadn't been clear enough and there was nothing to worry about. It was a shock to be told that I had cancer, but the doctor was reassuring, so I was able to be positive about the likely outcome.

“I had a lumpectomy followed by chemotherapy, herceptin and radiotherapy as well as hormone therapy with tamoxifen and letrozole. I recovered fairly quickly from the surgery but the chemo was really hard going. I was exhausted most of the time, lost most of my hair, and generally felt physically run down, but I had great support from family and friends and on my good days I was able to get out and about and feel fairly normal.

“I'm now 5 years on from the treatment and about to finish taking letrozole. I had my mammogram earlier this year and there were no signs of the cancer returning. I'm really grateful for the treatment I have had and for the fact that it was caught early enough to be treated by going for my mammogram in the first place.

“If I hadn't had my mammogram it could have affected the options for my treatment - the cancer could have had time to spread further and made it more difficult to deal with. Screening is absolutely essential for early diagnosis and treatment." - Ann

Screening helps women like Ann catch their cancer early, and gives them a better hope of survival, but the screening programme is at breaking point, and needs urgent funding to fix it.

You can help, adding your name to our petition, but a few days left before it closes, so please urgently sign and share now

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/632824

The Duchess of York has revealed that she has had surgery for breast cancer , and was diagnosed following a routine mammogram, she had no symptoms.
We would like to send best wishes to the Duchess as she recovers.

In her podcast ( link below if you would like to listen )the Duchess urges everyone to go along for screening as early diagnosis saves lives. The Duchess was encouraged by her sister to go along for her mammogram.

In fact, 95% of people diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer today will survive the disease for at least 5 years

Please come along for your screening when called and encourage others to do the same .





https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/tea-talks-with-the-duchess-and-sarah/id1687827196

Very proud to have Charmaine as part of our Breast Screening Team here in South West London Breast Screening.
Congratulations for this wonderful recognition of all you do for patients and colleagues and on this well deserved nomination.

NHS Parliamentary Awards Shortlister!

Congratulations to Charmaine Case who has been shortlisted for a lifetime achievement award

She started nursing in 1983 and is president of the Nurses Association of Jamaica (UK)

https://www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/newsitem/st-georges-finalists-in-the-nhs-parliamentary-awards/

Advantages and disadvantages of breast screening

Advantages

⭐️Screening finds breast cancer early

⭐️The sooner breast cancer is found, the more likely it is to respond well to treatment, and the less likely you are to need more extensive surgery.

⭐️Screening prevents deaths

⭐️Screening prevents an estimated 1,300 deaths from breast cancer each year in the UK.

Disadvantages

👎🏻It can be a bit uncomfortable for a couple of minutes . However, this isn’t always the case

👎🏻Some women will be offered unnecessary treatment

👎🏻Some cancers found through screening will not develop any further or will grow so slowly that they will never cause any harm during a woman’s life.

👎🏻At the moment, doctors cannot tell which cancers can be left alone, so treatment is offered for all breast cancers. This means some women may have unnecessary treatment (known as overtreatment).

👎🏻A small number of cancers are missed

👎🏻Mammograms are the most reliable way of detecting breast cancer sooner. However, they’re not 100% reliable and a small number of breast cancers are missed. For example, if someone has particularly dense breast tissue this may potentially mask a problem on a mammogram.

👎🏻Being recalled can cause worry and distress
Around four out of every 100 women screened are recalled for further assessment.
Most of these women do not have breast cancer. But being recalled or having more tests can cause a lot of worry and distress.

👎🏻You’re exposed to a small amount of radiation