Since 30 women died last year in northern B.C. of breast cancer, the provincial government is taking a stand to reduce that number.
The province announced funding of $500,000 Sunday to help fund an upcoming bus Tour for the Cure in 2011.
Despite having the lowest incidence and best survival rates of breast cancer in the country, "we still lost more than 30 brave women, and we want that number to go down," Shirley Bond, MLA for Prince George - Valemount, said during the Run For the Cure in Prince George.
She said early detection is crucial in the battle, but in the North, numbers of women getting regular mammograms is lower than in other parts of the province
"That's why the Tour for the Cure is so important to me. It will help remind people that regular screening has been shown to reduce the number of deaths by 25 per cent."
In the spring a pink tour bus will travel around the province to reach women in urban, rural, remote and aboriginal communities.
Expected to travel to 70 communities in five months, the bus tour will focus on awareness and education about breast health, prevention, and the importance of breast screening.
Women reaching 50 years should have mammograms once every two years to find any changes in breasts of healthy women who have no sign of breast problems.
Women who notice changes themselves, like lumps or discharges, should contact their doctors immediately for diagnosis and investigation.
Officials estimate that three to four breast cancers are detected from every 1,000 mammograms, with about 75 per cent of them found in early stages.
Screening is free to eligible B.C. women without doctors referrals in 37 screening centres. Call
1-800-663-9203. BC Cancer Agency has mobile vans to provide breast screening in 120 communities where screening centres are not available.
