Women in Calderdale and Kirklees are being encouraged to take up their breast screening appointments.
Invitations have been sent out to women in the Ripponden and Sowerby Bridge areas as the Pennine Breast Screening Service’s mobile unit is currently operating out of the Asda car park in Thrum Hall, Halifax.
Next week (November 12), the screening unit will move to the B&Q Superstore, on Shroggs Road, Halifax until February 2019, with approximately 4,000 women from the Illingworth and Shelf areas invited to attend.
And the week after (from November 16) a second van, also operated by staff from Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, will be stationed in the Aldi car park, Britannia Road, Slaithwaite until March 2019.
Julie Hodgins, health promotion specialist at the Pennine Breast Screening Service, said: “The mobile screening unit plays an important role in the early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and it is important that the service is as accessible as possible for the women we invite.
“I am very grateful to Asda, B&Q and Aldi for their support in offering the unit their car parks as they are really convenient locations which women will hopefully find have plenty of car parking.
“It’s our sincere wish that as many people as possible will take advantage of their breast screening invitations as early diagnosis really does save lives.”
The national programme provides breast screening to all women aged between 50 and 70 years old who are registered with a GP, with first invites arriving before women turn 53.
Julie added: “Please spread the word and encourage friends and family to attend and if women have any questions or have missed their appointments, please contact us via email at pennine.screening@bthft.nhs.uk or telephone 01274-365521.”
Women are invited for breast screening every three years. Breast screening involves taking an image or mammogram of the breast to detect early signs of breast cancer.
Mammography can pick up cancers that are too small for a woman to see or feel in the breast. This early detection means treatment of the cancer will be more effective.
Women aged over 70 do not receive an automatic invitation but are able to contact the screening office on 01274 365521 to arrange an appointment.
The Pennine Breast Screening service covers the areas of Bradford, Airedale, Calderdale, Dewsbury and Huddersfield.
Invites usually arrive at women’s home addresses three-to-four weeks before appointments.
The unit is also on Twitter and Facebook at @Pennine BSU.