21/10/2004

Calendar Girls to help highlight breast cancer campaign

The women behind the Hollywood blockbuster film ‘The Calendar Girls’ are to help mark this year’s Ulster Cancer Foundation’s (UCF) 7th annual Pink Ribbon Campaign.

The event takes place on Friday night at the Ramada Hotel in Belfast with the aim of celebrating ‘Life After Breast Cancer’.

Arlene Spiers, Chief Executive, Ulster Cancer Foundation said: “Every year in Northern Ireland more than 800 women discover they have breast cancer and almost a third of these are picked up through the breast screening service, yet out of every 100 local women called for screening, only 73 take up the invitation.

“This is why our breast awareness campaign continues to be so important. Being breast aware and attending screening programmes when invited can save your life.”

Ms Spiers said the Ulster Cancer Foundation understood the personal nature of coping with a diagnosis of breast cancer and was here to support and reassure women during what is often a difficult and worrisome time.

“We offer a wide variety of information and support for women throughout Northern Ireland including – Breast Cancer Support Groups Meetings, Specialist Bra and Swimwear fitting service for mastectomy patients, freephone cancer helpline, professional counselling, beauty therapy, art therapy classes, awareness campaigns, and cancer research funding,” Arlene said.

“All money raised during this campaign will enable us to continue our work here in Northern Ireland."

(MB/GMCG)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

06 November 2003
Belfast women attend cancer awareness meeting
Women from community groups across Belfast attended a Cancer Awareness meeting today to discuss the effect of cancer in their communities and the importance of taking up invitations for Cervical and Breast Screening.
05 December 2013
NI Highest Breast Cancer Survival In UK
Northern Ireland has the highest breast cancer survival rates in the UK and Ireland, according to research by Queen's University. The data for Northern Ireland was provided by the Queen’s Northern Ireland Cancer Registry to the EUROCARE 5 study. The research is part of a European-wide study into cancer survival rates.
10 October 2011
Pink Lady Backs NI Cancer Research
A Saintfield woman, Noleen Adair, who knows about cancer, having discovered she had breast cancer at 22 to be faced with radical surgery and chemotherapy has been fundraising. Noleen refuses to put her life on hold and now, the charity she founded to help others facing breast cancer has presented a dazzling £50,000 to Friends of The Cancer Centre.
09 September 2011
Yellowhammer Portraits Are Framing Success
Two local cancer charities, the Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF) and Friends of the Cancer Centre, have announced a unique fundraising initiative - the opportunity to buy a highly collectable piece of art by acclaimed Irish artist, Nicola Russell, while making a significant contribution to the work of both charities.
19 March 2009
Older Women To Get Breast Scans
Women up to the age of 70 will be invited for breast screening under new plans just announced by NI Health Minister Michael McGimpsey. Up to now only women aged between 50 and 64 have been routinely invited to attend screening. Currently approximately 150,000 women are invited for screening.