Adams promotes breast screening in Belfast

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams on Monday urged women to undergo screening for breast cancer. The West Belfast MP made the plea after it was confirmed a number of mobile clinics will visit venues around his constituency during October, which is breast cancer awareness month. The mobile clinic is visiting the BIFHE campus in Whiterock Campus on Wednesday and Thursday and Ballymurphy Women`s Centre on Wednesday.

The clinic is also due to visit the Maureen Sheehan Centre in Albert Street on 22 October, Tar Anall in Conway Street on 23 October, Tullymore Community Centre on 27 October and the Colin Community Forum, Dairyfarm Shopping Centre on 28 October.

Adams paid tribute to those attempting to raise awareness of the disease. He told a conference on breast cancer in Whiterock: "This is an important initiative for women throughout this constituency. The statistics surrounding breast cancer are absolutely appalling - 300 women die each year in the north while almost a thousand new cases are diagnosed. But these figures give no sense of the trauma, pain and anguish that individual women and their families endure."

Adams said he had personal experience of the heartache caused by families and friends contracting breast cancer.

The Sinn Fein leader said: "My hope is that the initiative we are announcing today, coupled with the work of the coming month, will increase personal awareness among women and that lives will be saved.

"Prevention is the key to tackling breast cancer. I would urge women, but especially those in west Belfast where the mobile clinic will be visiting this month, to avail of its screening service."

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Campaigners and activists will be working hard this month to raise awareness about this disease and to specifically highlight the importance of early detection, research and the need for significantly increased resourcing.