Despite a vigorous publicity campaign, only a quarter of women in some parts of Northern Ireland were being examined for breast cancer, an awareness-raising luncheon heard yesterday.
Although breast cancer affects one in every 11 women in the North, the target of 75 per cent of women coming to regular screenings had not been met in some areas, according to the Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF), which organised the Pink Ribbon Luncheon in Belfast's Europa Hotel. A lack of education, poor rural transport and the fact that women over 65 were not automatically screened had contributed to the problem, a spokesman said. Writer Maeve Binchy spoke of losing her mother to cancer.