About the Campaign

On 17 August 2008, a campaign to encourage women to have regular breast screens will begin.

The current BSA “Celebration of Women” campaign – which includes several television commercials – has been running since 2002, with some of the material being originally featured in a video made in the 1990s. 

Benchmark research shows that only 43 percent of Maori and Pacific women surveyed were aware of breast screening and/or mammograms as a method of checking for breast cancer. The research also showed low awareness of the screening age range, that the service is free and the recommended screening frequency.

These findings, as well as low screening rates and an increased likelihood of dying of breast cancer, show the need for a campaign to reach Maori and Pacific women. Regular screening can help address the imbalance between these populations and other groups in terms of breast cancer deaths.

The goals of the new campaign are to raise awareness of the benefits of regular breast screening and the free national programme, increase calls to the 0800 number and support the programme and providers in their efforts to increase participation in the programme by key groups.

Campaign Audiences

The priority audience for the campaign is Maori and Pacific women who are in the target age range of the programme (45-69) and who have never been screened or who do not have screens regularly (every two years).

Other audiences are: family, friends and community members who support and influence these women. While the advertising is specifically focused on Maori and Pacific women, it is likely to make all women more aware of the need to have regular breast screens.

Key Messages

Key messages include:

• breast cancer is the most common cancer in New Zealand women and the risk of developing breast cancer increases with age
• Maori and Pacific women are more likely to die from breast cancer than other women. Regular screening can help address the imbalance between these populations and other groups in terms of breast cancer deaths
• the goals of the new campaign are to raise awareness of breast screening, increase calls to the 0800 number and support the programme and providers in their efforts to reduce the number of women who die of breast cancer
• two-yearly breast screening reduces the chances of dying from breast cancer for women under 50 by about 20 percent, by about 30 percent for women between 50 and 65, and by about 45 percent for women aged 65-69
• early detection is the best protection
• breast screening can find very small cancers before a lump can be found on the breast 
• if you are aged 45 to 69 years of age you can have a free screening mammogram every two years through BreastScreen Aotearoa (BSA), even if you don’t have symptoms of breast cancer or if you have not had a mammogram in the last 12 months
• if you are not pregnant and are eligible for public health services in New Zealand you are welcome to join the free screening programme. To see if you qualify you can visit www.moh.govt.nz/eligibility, or ring Freephone 0800 270 200.