A presentation at Prevent Breast Cancer Health Hour
A presentation at Prevent Breast Cancer Health Hour

Staff and students learn how to reduce their risk at Prevent Breast Cancer’s Health Hour

Intro

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Experience) Sara Raybould and the UWL Women’s Network invited students and staff to Prevent Breast Cancer’s Health Hour on 11 May to raise awareness about the risks, signs, and symptoms of the most common cancer in the UK and the biggest cause of death for women between 35-49.

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Michelle Cohen from Prevent Breast Cancer, a small charity based in Manchester, shared lots of information about the background, statistics, causes and research that is being done to bring us closer to being able to prevent breast cancer.

The long-term prognosis is more positive but the number of breast cancer cases in the UK every year is inexorably growing. In 2007 it was 1 in 10 people. It is now 1 in 8,”

said Michelle.

Attendees also heard from Diana Jennings, a Prevent Breast Cancer Ambassador who was diagnosed in 2015 and after chemotherapy and radiotherapy is now seven years clear of breast cancer.

Michelle explored practical day-to-day initiatives everyone can do to reduce their risk such as eating healthily and increasing activity levels:

If a woman gains two stone between the ages of 25 and 45, that increases her risk of breast cancer by around 70%. The good news is that if she can reduce her body weight by 10%, she’ll bring that risk down by 40%.”

A presentation at Prevent Breast Cancer Health Hour

Michelle shared the symptoms of breast cancer and encouraged attendees to take away self-check cards. She played a video from breast cancer surgeon Cliona Kirwan about how to check yourself regularly and maintain good breast awareness.

Michelle talked about the link between breast cancer and family history and referred attendees to the NICE guidelines on family history risk. She also emphasised the importance of going for screening because it picks up early cases before any symptoms.

Bintu Tijani of the UWL Black Women’s Network shared how black women often present with breast cancer at a younger age and are diagnosed at a more advanced stage with a more aggressive form. She also referenced the importance of self-checking and going for screenings.

A second Prevent Breast Cancer Health Hour event is being planned for later in the year.

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