‘Do you remember …?’ campaign is designed to encourage people to attend appointments
Sam Lee, radiographer working for Humberside Breast Screening Service
Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance is using 80s nostalgia to encourage people aged 50 to 71 to make or attend breast screening appointments. The “Do you remember…?” campaign is aimed at those who are reluctant or first-time breast screening invitees.
It is hoped the nostalgic imagery will remind those in the target age group of iconic fashion, technology and experiences from their days gone by, to spark conversation, reflection, and ultimately prompt action toward booking and attending a breast screening throughout October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Visuals of video cassettes, legwarmers, children in shellsuits and more is being shared on social media and via large digital display screens in prominent locations, including Anlaby Road and Beverley Road in Hull, and a static screen in Cleethorpes Road, Grimsby.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. Around 11,400 women die from breast cancer in the UK every year.
It is the fourth biggest cancer killer in the UK, and the second biggest cause of cancer death in women. However, 46.3 per cent of women invited for a mammogram for the first time do not attend a screening appointment.
Screening involves an X-ray test called a mammogram, which finds breast cancers early, when they are often too small to see or feel. Sam Lee, deputy superintendent radiographer at Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, in East Yorkshire, said: “Some people are put off mammograms because they can feel uncomfortable, and sometimes there is pain.
READ MORE: ‘Why I accept all my breast screening invitations and what it’s like to have a mammogram’
“But a mammogram appointment takes less than 30 minutes, and the mammogram itself only takes a few minutes – as long as it takes to make a cup of tea. Your appointment could save your life, because screening can detect cancer before you see or feel any changes to your breasts.”
The Cancer Alliance is also urging anyone who has noticed changes to their breast or chest to visit their GP. Alice Wilson, 32, of York, had been undergoing IVF treatment when she was diagnosed with breast cancer after finding a lump.
Alice said: “You know your body better than anyone. If you spot any changes or anything that doesn’t feel right, please visit your GP as soon as possible. Early detection is key.”
Gemma Barlow, breast nurse practitioner at York Hospital, said: “Please do keep an eye out for breast cancer symptoms. They include lumps or swelling in your breast, chest or armpit, or changes in the skin of your breast, such as dimpling or redness.
“Has one or both of your breasts changed shape? Or has the side of your chest changed in size?
“Also, look out for nipple discharge (if you’re not pregnant or breastfeeding), which may have blood in it, or a change in the shape or look of a nipple, or a rash on it. Check for sores or ulcers on your chest, too.”
Members of Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance will be out and about across the region, to smash taboos and raise awareness of the importance of breast screening. They are taking their immersive, super-size version of Snakes and Ladders along to some venues, where you can get the chance to learn about the barriers and facilitators to attending an NHS breast screening appointment via large playing cards.
The Cancer Alliance’s Cancer Champions team will be hosting bite-sized versions of their online awareness sessions, and messages will be shared across the Cancer Alliance’s social media channels. Follow the Cancer Alliance on Facebook and X to help share these messages.
Visit the Cancer Alliance’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month page for more information.