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News Release – 7 October 2008
EUROPA DONNA – THE EUROPEAN BREAST CANCER COALITION HOLDING MEDIA EVENT TO LAUNCH FIRST BREAST HEALTH DAY ON 15 OCTOBER
EUROPA DONNA – The European Breast Cancer Coalition’s Media Event to announce the first Breast Health Day on 15 October 2008 will feature EU Commissioner for Health Androulla Vassiliou, International Agency for Research on Cancer Director Prof. Peter Boyle, renowned breast surgeon Prof. Umberto Veronesi and other key European figures. The purpose is to disseminate information on the enormous influence that lifestyle factors – such as nutrition, physical activity and avoiding overweight – have on breast cancer risk. It is an important message, since almost 132,000 European women die from breast cancer and 430,000 women are diagnosed with the disease every year.1
“As much as 25–33% of breast cancer cases are related to being overweight and physically inactive. In Europe an average of 60% of women aged 55–64 and 37% aged 35–44 are overweight or obese. This has enormous health implications for women and girls today. They must be informed of this risk,” said Ingrid Kössler, EUROPA DONNA President. Representatives from EUROPA DONNA’s member groups in 41 European countries, consisting of advocates, many of whom are breast cancer survivors, will also attend the event. They want women and girls of all ages in all countries to understand the influence that lifestyle choices can have on their future health.
A webcast of the event will be available on the EUROPA DONNA website (www.europadonna.org) and the newly launched Breast Health Day website, www.breasthealthday.org. The Coalition has created this new website dedicated to the event, containing key documents, facts and information on lifestyle factors and breast health.
On 15 October the EUROPA DONNA Guide to Breast Health covering lifestyle factors influencing breast cancer will be released. It is a companion to the Coalition’s Short Guide to the European Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis that EUROPA DONNA has been relentlessly working to have implemented across Europe.
In addition, EUROPA DONNA will be launching a short public service television announcement that will be aired during October in its 41 member countries. It encourages women to consult the EUROPA DONNA website (www.europadonna.org) to find out about the breast services they should seek and have a right to receive regardless of their country, region or background, particularly in terms of access to population-based mammography screening programmes and treatment in specialist breast units. Studies show that women aged 50–69 who attend mammography screening reduce their risk of dying of breast cancer by about 35%.2
“One in 10 women in the EU-27 will develop breast cancer before she reaches 80 years of age. There remain great disparities in the access to high-quality population-based screening, effective treatment and follow-up among many countries and regions. A woman’s chance of surviving can depend greatly on where she lives. Women need to be aware of lifestyle factors that can influence their chances of getting breast cancer, and of opportunities to detect it and effectively treat it as early as possible when it does occur,” said Susan Knox, Executive Director of EUROPA DONNA.
Members of the media are invited to attend the Breast Health Day media event to be held on 15 October at 16:30 at the Marriott Hotel, Via Washington 66, Milan, Italy.
For further information please contact: EUROPA DONNA – The European Breast Cancer Coalition Via G. Previati 12, 20149 Milan, Italy Tel: 39 02 8907-9660; Fax: 39 02 8907-9664 Email: info@europadonna.org Website: www.europadonna.org and www.breasthealthday.org
About EUROPA DONNA EUROPA DONNA – The European Breast Cancer Coalition – is an independent, non-profit organisation whose members are affiliated groups from countries throughout Europe. EUROPA DONNA works to raise public awareness of breast cancer and to mobilise the support of European women in pressing for improved breast cancer education, appropriate screening, optimal treatment and care and increased funding for research. Member countries currently number 41.
References 1. Ferlay J, Autier P, Boniol M, Heanue M, Colombet M, Boyle P. Estimates of the cancer incidence and mortality in Europe in 2006. Ann Oncol 2007; 18(3): 581-92. 2. World Health Organization, World Cancer Report 2003.
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