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Free Breast Screenings for Women 70+

on Thursday, November 28, 2013

The Federal Government will provide $55.7 million to allow women aged 70-74 to have free breast cancer screenings.

This is an increase in the target age range from BreastScreen Australia by five years, from women aged 59-69 to 70-74. Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek said the free breast screens will save lives and improve the outcome for women diagnosed with breast cancer.

 

“The initiative will mean more than 220,000 additional screening services can be delivered throughout the next four years. From 2016-17, an estimated additional 600 breast cancers may be detected each year” she said.

COTA Chief Executive Ian Yates said that the extension was very welcome and was something COTA had been lobbying for for years, whilst also criticising the Government’s lack of support for unemployed mature workers, in a press release released today.

Ms Plibersek said that the biggest breast cancer risk factor was age and that one in 11 Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 75.

“Since the establishment of BreastScreen Australia in 1991, breast cancer deaths have been reduced by more than 25 per cent” she said.

 

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