Almost 390,000 women had a breast screen through BreastScreen NSW in the past year, the highest 12-month total on record. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with a focus on women who are due for screening rather than putting it off.
Regional New South Wales has the highest participation in the state. Across regional areas, 57.8 per cent of eligible women are up to date with their two-yearly screen, compared with 51.6 per cent statewide.
A survey of more than 25,000 BreastScreen NSW clients found everyday demands were a common reason for delaying a mammogram. More than 40 per cent put it off because they were too busy, while 17 per cent forgot. The great majority rated their experience, from first contact through to results, as good or very good.
A breast screen is free, takes about 20 minutes and does not require a referral from a doctor. It can find cancer early, before it can be seen or felt.
Women aged 50 to 74 are recommended to have a screen every two years. BreastScreen NSW recommends Aboriginal women start at 40. Age and being female are the biggest risk factors, rather than family history.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the state, accounting for 28 per cent of new cancer diagnoses in women. Almost 7,000 women in New South Wales are expected to be diagnosed this year.
The Be A Friend, Tell A Friend campaign encourages people to talk about regular screening. Any woman who notices a breast change, such as a lump, should see her doctor without delay.
BreastScreen NSW says women can book wherever they live. Upcoming van visits include Warialda, Ashford and Inverell. BreastScreen NSW lists its next Moree visit as planned for 2027.
The van is at Warialda Town Hall from 12 to 15 October 2026, then Ashford Community Health Centre from 16 to 20 October. Inverell follows from 21 October to 18 December, in the car park at the corner of Evans and Campbell Streets.
Tamworth has a fixed clinic open weekdays, on the ground floor of the Koolkuna Building at 34 Dean Street. Women can ask about appointments and book on 13 20 50 or at breastscreen.nsw.gov.au. Those due now do not have to wait for the van to return to Moree.
