Healthy Breast Formula: First ever Modern Mammography School for the Ukrainian radiologists will be held in Crimea, by world class medical experts

Awareness + regular examination + high-tech equipment + highly qualified doctor

First ever Modern Mammography School for the Ukrainian radiologists will be held in Crimea April 13 – 15th, 2010, by world class medical experts. The seminar is organized under AVON Against Breast Cancer social charity program.

Lack of well-organized and efficient mammology screening programs is one of the biggest reasons for high breast cancer death rate in Ukraine. 2008 official medical statistics data are as follows: 15487 breast cancer cases diagnosed (incl 138 men), 7643 women died (incl. 378 in Crimea and Sevastopol). It is during one year only.

Modern high-tech diagnostic equipment and highly qualified specialists in radiology diagnostics of breast diseases (mammography) can provide for early breast cancer diagnostics and bringing down death rate. Life and health of the Ukrainian women depend on access to high quality early diagnostics to a great extent.

Modern Mammography School provides opportunity for the Ukrainian radiologists to acquire new professional skills in breast disease diagnostics namely mammography. The scientific seminar is a partnership project of AVON, Women Health and Family Planning Charity Fund and Crimean Republican Oncology Hospital also supported by AGFA, SIEMENS and ONIKO.

Radiologists from different regions of Ukraine, where diagnostics equipment was donated under AVON Against Breast Cancer Program, have been invited to take part in the seminar in Yalta in April 13 – 15th, 2010. The seminar will be held by leading experts of Leuven University (Belgium) and Russian Scientific Oncology Center named after academician Blokhin of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

Solution of early breast cancer diagnostics problem requires complex approach. That is why not only modern equipment and highly qualified specialists are needed but also it is vital to motivate women themselves. The best equipment and the best doctor are powerless until a woman comes for a regular annual breast examination. That is why to support Modern Mammography School and as a call to action for women Awareness days will be held in Simferopol and Yalta on April 14 and 15 respectively. Avon against Breast Cancer volunteers will distribute special leaflets for women with very important information for their health and life. There are many cases when information in the leaflet made women think of their health, come to a doctor for examination in due time and have early diagnostics and which is most important it made them survive and get successful treatment. Mobile mammography complex will be sent to Yalta city embankment on April 15th and women will have an opportunity to consult the doctor and have mammography check there.

Early diagnostics is a key factor in fighting breast cancer and doctors can guarantee successful overcoming of the disease in 95% cases. Breast cancer death rate was 30% dropped down in EU due to well-organized mammography screening which allows early diagnostics. Mammography screening quality standards are developed and successfully implemented in EU. We are only in the beginning of our way to such standards in Ukraine. Partnership initiatives of AVON and Women Health and Family Planning Charity Fund considerably contribute to improve the situation in this country. These initiatives are aimed at promotion and support of early breast cancer diagnostics.

AVON against Breast Cancer Charity program has been successfully held in partnership with Women Health and Family Planning Charity Fund (NGO) in Ukraine since 2001. One of the program achievements is the progress in raising awareness about breast cancer problem and motivating women to consult doctors for early diagnostics and radiologists in particular. All that was achieved by way of educational programs, media projects, special information materials and free breast cancer hotline 0-800-50-50-90 вдалося підвищити інформованість населення про проблему раку молочної залози та мотивувати жінок звертатися до спеціалістів з метою ранньої діагностики, у тому числі й до лікарів-рентгенологів.

Since 2003 regional state oncology hospitals in Crimea, Zaporizhzhya, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Odes, Vinnytsyz, Cherkasy, Uzhgorod and Kyiv were donated modern diagnostics equipment (mammography machines, two mobile mammography complexes, expert class USI apparatus, computer radiology and mammography systems (digitizers) CR-85 and CR-35), that was acquired for the funds raised under AVON Against Breast Cancer program. Starting 2010 leveraging professional skills of medical specialists in radiology, namely mammography will be the priority direction of this charity and social program.