Gibraltar Health Authority will be celebrating ‘Wear Pink Day’ tomorrow, Friday 18th October, to promote awareness of breast cancer in the community. Staff are encouraged to wear an item of pink clothing or complement, as a reminder of the importance of early detection of the disease.

In addition, the GHA is sharing the attached booklet and poster with detailed information regarding Breast Clinic appointments, and the whole range of medical services available to the public, including the one stop breast clinic carried out by specialised nurses every Wednesday.

‘Wear Pink Day’ has become one of the most important dates in the community’s charity calendar, as employers across all sectors, schools and the general public have resoundingly responded in the affirmative to the invitation to support this event.

Clinicians have often highlighted how the combination of early detection of the disease and medical treatment can make a huge difference in ensuring the best possible results for patients.

GHA Consultant General Surgeon Christina Macano said: “A mammogram as part of the breast screening programme may save your life. It is an essential aspect of women’s health as it aims to detect breast cancers at an early stage, when they are easier to treat than at a later stage meaning that the chance of survival is higher.

“This applies even if there are no symptoms, which is why it is so important that women between the ages of 40-70 attend their appointments when invited. I cannot stress the importance of this enough on a day like ‘Wear Pink Day’ when we are promoting awareness of these issues.”

Director General Kevin McGee said: “It is that time of the year again when we encourage the community to join us in wearing pink, as a symbol of hope at the great strides scientific research has taken in the past decade, to significantly increase survival rates when there is an early diagnosis of the disease.

“It is therefore essential that awareness runs deep in the community and that women make use of all the available GHA services that are designed to detect any problem as soon as possible, thus enhance the probabilities of a positive outcome.”
For her part, the Minister for Health and Care, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez said: “Wear Pink Day is a timely reminder of how this disease affects our community, but it also sends out a message of renewed hope and celebration of the women who have overcome their ordeal, tempered with the emotional remembrance of those who are sadly no longer with us.

“The GHA and my Ministry will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that Gibraltar continues to incorporate advances in medical treatments in this field for the benefit of patients and the wider community.”

ENDS