Project Mammogram update June 2023

By Mike Brown for Whitianga Lions.

The project Mammogram steering committee would like to acknowledge and thank the community for their generous support of Project Mammogram.

Thanks to events run by the community and both Lions clubs we are pleased to report that our latest total is $70,000. as this goes to print.

Whilst we continue to fundraise, the committee is also planning ahead for the actual mammogram service. With this in mind we are almost finished a feasibility business plan to present to potential operators of the service and our objective is to appoint an operator to join our team by the end of the year.

In researching our feasibility plan, we have identified that a position for a mammographer who wanted to work school hours would be required initially. This would suit a mammographer with young children at school or a mammographer who wanted part-time work. There is also the opportunity to import a qualified mammographer from overseas for the position so given our two-year fund-raising campaign, any potential operator has options and time to find the right person.

Breast Screening for over 70-year-old women has recently been in the news and on TV and the Breast Cancer foundation has published a news release on their website regarding its importance.

It can be found at this link https://www.breastcancerfoundation.org.nz/news-articles/article/government-stalling-on-breast-screening-costs-the-life-of-one-woman-every-month/713.

If after the election, the new government increased the age to 74 for public screening this will increase the numbers in our Eastern Coromandel community needing to have a free mammogram and further enhances the need to have a mammography site locally. Note the gold standard for public screening mammograms internationally is for women aged 40 to 74 where as in New Zealand its currently 45 to 69.

A Mammogram machine located in Whitianga will be available to all age groups of women on the eastern Coromandel Peninsula not just those in the 45 to 69 age group. Those outside of the publicly funded age groups will need to pay for a screening mammogram in most cases but won’t incur the costs and time penalty of having to travel to Hamilton to have a screening mammogram.

Look out for the following Lions event supporting project mammogram:

Art Expo on Matariki weekend at the Town Hall.

The Whitianga Lions Club will be holding its annual Art Expo at the Whitianga Town Hall over Matariki Weekend from Thursday, 13 July to Sunday, 16 July. Profits from the Expo will be donated to Project Mammogram - raising funds for a Mammogram Machine. Last year we had over 600 pieces of art displayed for purchase including paintings, pottery, quilting, photography, sculptures, glass art.

We invite anyone interested in exhibiting to email us at whitiangalions@gmail.com to get the information or phone Ian on 0211141709.

Donations

You can donate to project Mammogram by internet banking as follows:

Mercury Bay Lions Charitable trust bank account

03-1578-0088621-01 Include your organization’s name in the Reference section and PJM in the Code section.

For a receipt for tax purposes please email mercurybaylions@gmail.com including your reference name.

Caption: Mammogram Machine.