“Come to breast screening, don’t be afraid”

02 October 2024 - New breast screening video launched to help save lives in Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark

A new breast screening awareness video featuring patients and staff from King’s College Hospital has been launched to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The video features an array of patients from south-east London – some from groups with traditionally low take-up of screening invitations – talking about their experiences of having a mammogram. Their aim is to highlight the importance of breast screening to enable the early detection and treatment of cancer. King’s provides breast screening for those living in the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.

Lindsay, who features in the video, has been both a radiographer and a patient at King’s, having been diagnosed and successfully treated for breast cancer following a mammogram.

Lindsay said, “I’m a mammographer, I’ve worked at King’s for many years, I’m also a breast cancer survivor.  If I hadn’t had all my treatment, I don’t think I’d be talking to you today. It makes me feel very lucky to be alive. I can’t get this message over more strongly, please, please come to breast screening, don’t be afraid.”

Patient Philomena added, “There are several reasons why people should come to breast screening. First and foremost, early detection saves lives, and it is completely free.”

Fellow patient Humaira added, “It found my cancer so it’s actually life-saving for me.”

Brooke, a radiographer at King’s, explained that when breast cancer is detected early it has benefits for patients. She said, “Unfortunately, we can’t stop ladies developing breast cancer. Our aim is to detect cancer early so that treatment is less invasive.”

Dr Juliet Morel, Consultant Radiologist and Director of Screening at King’s, stressed the importance of such videos to encourage take-up of screening. She said, “Nearly half of all women invited to breast screening in London do not take up the offer, and those who miss their first screening are more likely to miss subsequent ones. This means that thousands of women are at risk of missing that window where we can treat breast cancer early, and give the best chance of cure.

“Roughly 1 in 100 people who attend screening are diagnosed with breast cancer, and we know that early detection is key. Between 90 and 95% of people diagnosed at an early stage will survive for at least five years.

“Breast screening can detect early changes to the breast tissue, often long before physical changes appear. For those who are eligible, breast screening should be top of their to-do list.”

Although screening uptake in south-east London is better than some other parts of the capital, it is still lower than the NHS target of 70%, and is notably lower among some groups, such as Black African and south Asian women.

Francesca Fiennes, Health Promotion Specialist in the South-East London Breast Screening Programme, added, “We often don’t get to hear about patient stories, particularly from those from a diverse background. We created this video to provide something relatable for people living in south-east London, and to share uplifting stories. If there’s one message we want to get across, it’s that breast screening saves lives. The people who feature in the video are testament to that.”

The Breast Screening Service received funding from the South-East London Cancer Alliance to produce this video.