The South Eastern Trust has produced a new breast screening information video, designed to support people with learning disabilities to feel more informed and confident about attending their breast screening appointment.
The video was developed through the Regional Promoting Informed Choice Group, a partnership between the South Eastern Trust and Belfast Health Trust, with support from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and Stepping Stones NI. The initiative aims to help remove anxiety around screening by showing women exactly what to expect during their appointment.
Filmed at the mobile Breast Screening Unit located on the Lagan Valley Hospital site, the short video features Stepping Stones ambassador Sarah Alderdice, who shared her own experience of attending screening and highlighted the support she received from the Trust’s Breast Imaging Service Team. The mobile unit currently screens up to 50 women each day.
South Eastern Trust, Community Health Development Practitioner, Caroline McGrath said, “The role of the Regional Promoting Informed Choice Group is to ensure all eligible women in Northern Ireland are able to make an informed choice about attending for breast screening. By creating this video, we aim to give women with a learning disability the knowledge and confidence to access this important service.”
Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Alderman Amanda Grehan, welcomed the initiative and praised the collaborative approach taken to support inclusivity and improve access to healthcare services. She explained how the one-minute video is tailored to ensure that women with learning disabilities feel informed and comfortable to attend their screening appointments.
Mayor Grehan stated, “I wanted to make sure that anyone who was worried about what a breast screening exam would entail could see it for themselves beforehand. The idea of the video was to take that ‘fear factor’ away before a woman even walks through the door of the Unit.”
“My theme this year is ‘Inclusivity for Disability, A City That Sees Everyone’ and that means every single person. My Mayor’s Charity is Action Cancer, with a focus on breast screening services because early detection can save your life.
“The video features Sarah who has kindly agreed to share her experience on camera so that others know what to expect. The idea of the video is simple but powerful. Parents and carers and the women that they support can watch the video together before an appointment so there are no surprises, there are no fears and nothing is standing between them and a potentially life-saving screening.
“Breast screening saves lives. Early detection makes all the difference. No woman should miss a life-saving appointment out of fear of the unknown.”
Stepping Stones, Director of Marketing and Communications, Ciara Brennan added, “We are incredibly proud of Sarah. She is a passionate and dedicated advocate for people with learning disabilities and her commitment to making a difference is truly inspiring. Sarah is a natural ambassador. Her voice, experience and enthusiasm make her ideally placed to promote the importance of breast screening within the learning disability community.”