By NICOLE VALICEK
WHEN Kaylene Skinner turned 50 she received a letter that ultimately saved her life.
The Newport resident accepted an invitation to attend a free breast screening that arrived by post after her 50th birthday. The scan came back clear.
Two years later she received the same letter and went along, but this time was asked back for more testing.
After a day of testing that included an ultrasound and a biopsy it was confirmed she had early stages of breast cancer.
Ms Skinner had surgery on 15 November 2012 and has been cancer free for 15 months.
“It all happened fairly quickly once it was all diagnosed and I’m fit and healthy again,” she said.
She said the cancer was only picked up through a routine breast screen.
“If I hadn’t of gone just on a normal routine it wouldn’t have been found and I could have been worse off years down the track,” Ms Skinner said.
The 54-year-old encouraged woman, especially those aged over 50, to have the test.
“It’s just a test a woman should avail themselves too, especially seeing it’s a free test, it doesn’t hurt it takes 15 minutes of your day to have and it’s helpful,” she said.
“It’s like any other of those free tests they give – it’s for your benefit to have it and it eliminates something else that could possibly go wrong.”
In 2011-2013, 50 per cent of women aged 50-69 years living in the area took advantage of the free BreastScreen Victoria service, which is lower than the state-wide average of 54 per cent.
To make an appointment call 13 20 50 or book online at breastscreen.org.au.
