Positively
Pink is a Mijas based charity and Its sole purpose is to raise the necessary
funds to provide education, support and a FREE breast screening programme to
British Women & Men who live on the Costa del Sol.
The
screening programme is a comprehensive screening process (Gold Standard) that
includes a consultation, physical examination, health education, a mammogram or
ultrasound or in some cases both and an English translation of the result(s).
This is carried out in conjunction with Clinica Medicare, a Nurse led British
health centre based in La Cala de Mijas and Dr David Deardon a UK trained
Specialist and the head of The British Surgical Clinic. Medicare and its
medical team provide their time, clinic space and expertise free of charge for
the charity.
During
the 2012 screening programme over 420
men and women accessed the FREE programme with 10 ladies receiving a
positive diagnosis but all are being treated and doing well. During the 2012
programme Positively Pink spent in excess of €35,700.00 to ensure that screening is available to all UK
expatriates living on the Coast regardless of age or circumstances.
Breast cancer is the most common form
of cancer in women. The lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is one in
nine. Each year there are approximately 41,000 new diagnoses. The incidence of
breast cancer for men is on the increase too with approximately 300 new cases
diagnosed yearly in the UK. It has been shown that early detection of breast
cancer can improve the outcome. Survival
rates from breast cancer have improved partly in recent years due to early
presentation and from individuals being breast aware. The risk of breast cancer
increases with age. 80% of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50
though Positively Pink believes that screening should be available to all women
from 18 years of age.
Lorraine Palmer the founder of
Positively Pink believes that “early detection is your best protection” and
this certainly proved to be the case during the 2012 campaign. The majority of
the Ladies who received a positive diagnosis would not have ordinarily been
screened via the State screening programme as they are over the upper age
limit. Positively Pink has an amazing
calendar of events planned for 2013 and remains committed to raising the
necessary funds to continue with the FREE screening programme. All funds raised by Positively Pink are used
solely to cover the costs of the ultrasounds and mammograms, all of the
volunteers who run and support the charity do so without any cost to the
charity. All administration costs are absorbed by the El Oceano Hotel &
Spa.
To book an appointment, please contact Medicare on 952835776.
