Aucklanders will have the opportunity to visit Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s iconic Pink Caravan, ‘Pinkie’, for free breast health advice from next week.
For the ninth year running, Pinkie will spend the spring and summer months travelling around New Zealand with two specialist breast nurses on board to take breast cancer awareness out to communities.
Pinkie will be at the following sites between 9 am-2:30pm each day:
- PAK’nSAVE Mangere on Tuesday 27 September
- PAK’nSAVE Botany on Wednesday 28 September
- PAK’nSAVE Ormiston on Thursday 29 September
- Howick Village Market Square on Friday 30 September
- Countdown Lynfield on Monday 3 October
- PAK’nSAVE Royal Oak on Tuesday 4 October
- New World New Lynn on Wednesday 5 October
- PAK’nSAVE Clendon on Tuesday 11 October
Other sites around Auckland are being added until 6 November and will be confirmed roughly two weeks in advance.
Pinkie will then head towards Wellington via Taranaki and Manawatū-Wanganui, and continue down the South Island in the New Year. During 2020 and 2021, Pinkie made more than 160 stops around the country, where nurses addressed the questions and concerns of over 6,000 people.
“We encourage people to come and chat to our friendly and knowledgeable nurses who can offer advice about how to lower your risk of breast cancer, what signs and symptoms to look out for and how to get enrolled for breast screening,” said Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s chief executive Ah-Leen Rayner.
“On board, you’ll find lots of information and resources, including a silicon breast model, Bessie, showing what lumps and other symptoms look and feel like. Early detection is the best way to beat breast cancer, so the health education work that our nurses do saves lives.”
Breast cancer is the most common female cancer, with around 1,000 women diagnosed annually in the Auckland region. The good news is it’s most easily treated when detected early – the 10-year survival rate for women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer through screening is 95%, compared to 85% for women diagnosed from their symptoms. Breast Cancer Foundation NZ encourages women to be breast aware from age 20 and to consider starting mammograms at 40.
Visit breastcancerfoundation.org.nz/pinkcaravan to learn more about the Pink Caravan.
