Positively Pink’s 2011 screening campaign closes on a High

Written by David Donaldson from Medicare Nursing Services.

Positively Pink in conjunction with its sponsors see this year’s Free Breast screening programme come to an end on Thursday 27th October 2011.
2011 has seen the 1st Gold Standard screening programme here on the Costa del Sol, this has been possible with the support of the sponsors and the dedication of Dr Deardon of the British Surgical Clinical and the Nurses at Clinica Medicare in La Cala, who have given their time free of charge to the charity and this worthwhile cause.
The uniqueness of this year’s screening programme ensures that all 418 women who have attended have accessed a comprehensive screening process that has included a consultation, physical examination and health education as well as a mammogram or ultrasound or in some cases both. This has been provided to all of these ladies completely free of charge and the direct costs for the mammograms and ultrasounds have been met by Positively Pink.
Lorraine Palmer the founder of Positively Pink, the Mijas based charity is dedicated to raising the funds to ensure that she can continue to offer a free screening programme in the years to come. Her amazing energy and passion for this charity is driven by her belief that “Prevention and early detection” is essential in combating this horrible disease.
1 in 9 women will be affected by Breast Cancer in their lifetime and advances in medicine means that more and more women are surviving and beating this disease. This is why early detection and education is essential.
Lorraine’s wish is that Positively Pink could provide the free breast screening all year, but the length of the programme is dictated by the funds available to the charity. The main fundraising event is held every October at the fabulous El Oceano Hotel and this year’s Pink Ball was as always an amazing evening. Lorraine and her supporters managed to raise €14,000 in just 4 hours... an incredible achievement in the current financial climate.
Clinica Medicare and Medilink in conjunction with its preferred partners have compiled a comprehensive brochure titled “What every women needs to know” this is your free guide to breast self examination and this will be available to all ladies throughout the year and can be collected from Clinica Medicare in La Cala. Self examination should be a key part of a women’s monthly routine, you need to know what feels normal for you and when to seek further advice, 8 out of 10 breast lumps are found by women themselves.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported this years Free Screening programme but in particular a big Thank you to the British Surgical Clinic, Dr Deardon, Clinica Medicare, Gavin, Bridget & Karen and to the Hospital Group and Medilink for their sponsorship.

Book your Breast Screening appointment soon to avoid disappointment!

We are delighted to say that the Positively Pink Breast Screening campaign is going phenomenally well, we are booked up with ladies till nearly the end of August. 

Don't delay, book your appointment now to avoid disappointment as we only have a limited number of spaces this year. 

Call Medicare on 952 835 776.

Breast Cancer and Obesity- an interesting article from the BBC

20 July 2011 Last updated at 02:10 GMT

Obesity 'leading driver' of breast cancer

By Michelle Roberts Health reporter, BBC News

The growth of certain cancers is fuelled by hormones

Continue reading the main story

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Obesity is the biggest driving force behind the most common form of breast cancer in older women, say researchers.

Alcohol and then cigarettes are the next largest culprits, according to Cancer Research UK.
One in eight women in the UK develop breast cancer in their lifetime, data shows, and the majority of these tumours are "hormone sensitive" meaning their growth is fuelled by hormones.
Too much stored fat in the body raises the level of these "sex" hormones.
Studies show that post-menopausal women with high levels of oestrogen and testosterone have between two and three times the risk of breast cancer than women with the lowest levels.
Experts have known for some time that factors that influence hormone levels - like pregnancy, the oral contraceptive pill and the menopause - can change a woman's breast cancer risk.
This latest work, published in the British Journal of Cancer, suggests obesity should go at the top of this list, not least because it is a lifestyle factor that women can have some control over.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

Maintaining a healthy body weight and reducing alcohol consumption are key to reducing breast cancer risk”

Dr Julie Sharp Cancer Research UK

The Oxford University team, funded by Cancer Research UK, studied the health records of nearly 6,300 post-menopausal women, looking for factors that might explain why some developed hormone sensitive breast cancer when others did not.

A woman's weight had the greatest bearing on a woman's sex hormone levels, shortly followed by smoking and alcohol consumption.
Women who are overweight or obese - meaning they have a body mass index of 25 or more - had high levels of hormones like oestrogen and progesterone.
So too did women who drank more than two and a half units of alcohol a day or smoked more than 15 cigarettes daily.
Experts say women should be made aware of these modifiable risk factors.
Dr Julie Sharp, of Cancer Research UK, said: "This is an important study as it helps to show how alcohol and weight can influence hormone levels. Understanding their role in breast cancer is vital and this analysis sheds light on how they could affect breast cancer risk.
"We know that the risk of the disease can be affected by family history and getting older, but there are also things women can do help reduce the risk of the disease. Maintaining a healthy body weight and reducing alcohol consumption are key to reducing breast cancer risk."

Positively Pink Publicity - Costa del Sol News 7th July 2011

Thursday, 07 July 2011

CANCER CAMPAIGN

Local charity offers free breast cancer screening for expats

By Oliver McIntyre
THE Mijas-based Positively Pink breast cancer charity has announced a summer campaign providing free breast screening exams for British women living on the Costa.
Positively Pink founder Lorraine Palmer urges all British woman over the age of 18 to take advantage of the free screening. "Early detection is your best protection," she said.
The group notes that while breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, it is also one of the most treatable if detected early enough. 
In the UK more than 45,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year, and it is estimated that one in nine women will suffer from breast cancer at some time in their life.
Positively Pink, dedicated to education and early detection of breast cancer, is providing the screening in collaboration with The Hospital Group, The British Surgical Clinic and Medilink Spain.  The 60,000-euro budget for the scheme is being funded by Positively Pink and its sponsors.
The screenings are to be carried out on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the months of July, August, September and October.  Appointments are available by calling Clinica Medicare in La Cala de Mijas (952 835 776).
Read more in the July 7 print edition of CDSN

The new British Surgical Clinic leaflet

Positively Pink Publicity - Mijas Semanal 22-28 July 2011

British Surgical Clinic sponsors Positively Pink Breast Screening Programme.

Positively Pink (charity no G92860477) the registered Breast Cancer charity based in Mijas Costa is pleased to announce that they are funding a programme of free breast screening again this summer for all British women over the age of 18.

Positively Pink is dedicated to education and early detection and the free screening programme ensures that all British women have access to breast screening regardless.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. It is also one of the most treatable if detected earlier enough. The lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is one in nine. 44,000 women were diagnosed in the UK alone last year.

Lorraine Palmer the founder of the charity believes that “early detection is your protection”

Lorraine works tirelessly to ensure that she raises adequate funding so she is able to help as many British women here on the Coast as she can. The main fund raising event is the “Pink Ball” held every October at the fabulous El Oceano Hotel. This year the sponsors of the screening programme are asking all women who take advantage of this Free service to make a donation of the cost of their last bra. A small price to pay for peace of mind

Appointments will be available at Clinica Medicare in La Cala form Tuesday 12th July until the end of October 2011 in conjunction with a local radiology clinic. Dr Deardon and the Medicare Nurse Practitioner are donating their expertise and time to the programme free of charge. The initial consultation and examination will take place on Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons and appointments can be made by calling the clinic on 952 835 776. This is a gold standard screening programme that includes a full medical history, examination and breast awareness education followed by the appropriate mammogram or ultrasound which will be facilitated by Clinica Radiologia in Fuengirola. All results will be given in English.

This years campaign is sponsored by The Hospital Group,The British Surgical Clinic and medilink all local healthcare businesses who have an ethos of “Working together with our local community because your health really does matters”

Last year Positively Pink funded the screening of nearly 1000 British women here on the Costa del Sol, this screening programme helped to save 6 womens lives. It is our intention to screen a similar amount again this year.