The mobile Breast Screen van will be making the rounds in the area from June 8, starting with Proserpine Hospital.
The Breast Screen initiative began in 1991 and has since detected 25,000 breast cancers through five million breast screens.
The free program is encouraged for all women over 40 years old.
Please note that this service is for a check-up only and not for women who have a concern or can feel a lump.
If you are worried about either of these, you need to book an appointment with your GP as soon as possible.
The level of treatment required can be massively reduced if cancer is caught early, so do not delay in speaking with your GP immediately if you are concerned.
All women over 40, who do not have a concern or change in their breast, are recommended to have a breast scan every two years.
The procedure includes scans of the breast tissue, which can detect growths or cancer cells that can not be felt or seen.
Two photos of each breast will be analysed by doctors and results sent to the patient.
It is common for some women to be recalled for a second screen at the Mackay Breast Screen Centre.
This does not mean you have cancer; it simply means they wish to conduct a second screening, an ultrasound and possibly a biopsy.
In the majority of cases this still results in a cancer-free diagnosis.
The Breast Screen mobile van will be parking up in Proserpine and Cannonvale from June to August, to service local women.
The service is free and is minimally invasive, so be sure to make an appointment and get checked.
To make an appointment, ring 13 20 50 or visit breastscreen.qld.gov.au
The Breast Screen van will be at Prosperine Hospital on Herbert Street from Thursday June 8 to Saturday July 1.
The Breast Screen van will be at Whitsunday Plaza on Galbraith Park Road, Cannonvale from Monday July 3 to Thursday August 31.
A breast scan can detect growths and cancer cells that even doctors can’t see or feel. Photo supplied
