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UCF Welcomes All Ireland Cancer Statistics Report
By Derval Keenan, 11/10/2004 3:17:46 PM
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Leading local charity, the Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF) has welcomed today?s launch of the All Ireland Cancer Statistics Report - a collaboration by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry and the National Cancer Registry (Ireland).
Data from both registries have been merged and integrated to profile and highlight cancer incidence, mortality and survival rates for the island of Ireland.
Arlene Spiers, Chief Executive, UCF said, ? We congratulate both cancer registries for this comprehensive and informative report which is drawn from
accurate, baseline statistics and trends. We would like to thank cancer patients throughout Ireland for providing their personal information, without which this report would not be possible.
?It is significant for us here in Northern Ireland, where nationally sponsored screening programmes are well-established, that deaths from a diagnosis of breast cancer have fallen by more than 20% between 1994 and 2000, whereas in the Republic of Ireland, breast cancer deaths are the same in 2000 as they were in 1994.
?Every year in Northern Ireland more than 800 women discover they have breast cancer and almost a third of these are picked up through the breast screening service, yet out of every 100 local women called for screening, only 73 take up the invitation, this is why our Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Ribbon Campaign, celebrated during the month of October, continues to be so important. Being breast aware and attending screening programmes when invited can save your life.?
UCF also welcomed the news in today?s report that, in time, the incidence of lung cancer in the Republic should be profoundly lower since the introduction of smokefree workplaces in March of this year.
Arlene Spiers continued, ?Smoking is the largest single cause of preventable death and ill health in our society today, killing 2,800 people in Northern Ireland every year. Creating healthy smoke free workplace policies is the most effective action that Government could take to protect non-smokers against the dangers of tobacco smoke, and to encourage more smokers to quit.
?The large majority of Northern Ireland?s population (74%) are non-smokers and there is significant support for such policies to be implemented in all public environments for the safety of staff and their customers. UCF have led the campaign for smokefree environments for over thirty years and look forward to the implementation of smokefree workplaces in Northern Ireland.
?The Ulster Cancer Foundation was instrumental in establishing the Cancer Registry ten years ago and we remain committed to supporting its important work.?
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For further information please contact Derval Keenan, PR and Events Officer 028 9049 2007/ dervalkeenan@ulstercancer.org
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