Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2005.
Wednesday, 21 Sep 2005

Singapore, 21 Sep 2005 - The National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF), Singapore Cancer Society (SCS), and The Cancer Institute, National Healthcare Group (TCI, NHG) have joined forces to organize various activities to promote breast cancer awareness and screening in October 2005, the month which is internationally designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM). These activities are supported by Health Promotion Board, and made possible with the help of several kind sponsors (See Annex 1).

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Singapore women. Almost 1,100 new cases are diagnosed and about 270 women die in Singapore each year from breast cancer. This translates to about 3 women being diagnosed every day with breast cancer and one woman dying every other day from it.

Women in their 50s are 2.5 times more likely to contract breast cancer than women in their 70s and their risk increases as they grow older. Statistics have also shown that the increase in incidence is consistent across all the three ethnic groups (Chinese, Malays and Indians).

CAMPAIGN THEME
This year ’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM 2005) will focus on the importance of regular breast screening and the need for continuous vigilance about breast health. The campaign slogan reads, “Regular Breast Screening Saves Lives”.

HIGHLIGHTS OF BCAM 2005
Various exciting activities will take place, mainly in October 2005:

LAUNCH OF BCAM 2005 - THE PINK SILHOUETTE WALK
BCAM will be launched on 2 nd October, Sunday, with the Pink Silhouette Walk at 9:00am. Approximately 500 people will take part in this symbolic event aimed at emphasizing the importance of screening to prevent deaths from breast cancer.

Participants will be flagged off from the Marina Promenade, below the Sheares Bridge, on a 2km walk that will end at the Asian Civilisations Museum, Empress Place (ACM). Each participant will carry a pink silhouette of a woman which represents a Singaporean woman affected by breast cancer. At ACM, the walk culminates in a “ceremony” that involves participants mounting the pink silhouettes on a large pink ribbon specially created for this event. There will also be an eye catching display with 1,100 pink and 270 white silhouettes along with accompanying information on breast cancer. These figures represent the number of Singaporean women diagnosed with breast cancer and the number of breast cancer related deaths each year. Visitors to ACM can catch a glimpse of the silhouettes throughout October.

The Guest of Honour for the event is Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development and Sports as well as Patron of Breast Cancer Foundation.

PUBLIC FORUMS IN DIALECT (HOKKIEN AND CANTONESE)
For the first time in Singapore, breast cancer public forums will be conducted in Hokkien and Cantonese. This aims to raise awareness amongst those who are not conversant in English or Mandarin and who will miss important information about breast cancer that may save their lives. The forums organised by NCCS, BCF, SCS and TCI, NHG will be held at the Health Promotion Board Auditorium on 8 th October:

Mandarin and Hokkien: 1.00pm – 3.00pm
Mandarin and Cantonese: 2.15 – 4.45pm

Topics covered will include signs and symptoms of breast cancer, risk factors, early detection, and treatment options. For more information and to register, call 6225 5655/ 6236 9432/ 6236 9434. The registration fee is $5 per person.

"SIMPLY THE BREAST"
Asian Civilisations Museum will organise a wellness event entitled Recharge, Rejuvenate, Revamp ‘05. I n conjunction with this event, two breast cancer talks entitled “Simply the Breast” will be held on 16 th October 2005. The venue will be the River Room at Asian Civilisations Museum and the talks will take place at :

• 12 – 12.45pm
• 3 – 3.45pm

Topics for the talks will include signs and symptoms of breast cancer, risk factors, early detection, and treatment options. Attendees will also be taught how to do breast self examination. To register, the public should call 67724626.

"BREAST CANCER - CHECK IT! BEAT IT!"
Tan Tock Seng Hospital and TCI, NHG will co-organise a public forum in English. Topics for the talks will include importance of screening, prevention & lifestyle changes, the role of hormone replacement therapy and surgery in treatment of breast cancer. The forum is held on 15 October from 1.15pm to 5pm, at Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s Theatrette on Level 1.

For more information and to register, call 63578266. The registration fee is $5 per person.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS OUTREACH
To reach out to the Indian community, a breast cancer awareness booth will be set up from 21 st – 23 rd October 2005 at the Deepavali Festival Village along Campbell Lane in Little India, thanks to support from Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association. Visitors to the booth will learn how to do Breast Self Examination and women above 40 will be encouraged to go for mammograms. Pink ribbon pins will be sold as well.

WACOAL/BCF SUBSIDISED SCREENING PROJECT
The newly refurbished Wacoal / BCF’s Mammobus operates a mobile screening service. The aim is to encourage w omen to take just half an hour off work or shopping time to screen for breast cancer. Wacoal has joined BCF in subsidising the screening fee so that the participating woman pays only $25 for a mammogram.

The Wacoal/BCF Mammobus will be located at the following sites:

Women aged 40 and above who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents who wish to take part must pre-register by calling BCF at 6352 6560.

DISCOUNTED RATES FOR MAMMOGRAPHY
Several organizations, both restructured and private, will be offering mammography screening at discounted rates. Coordinated by SCS. To register, please call the society between 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday at 6421 5809 / 6421 5827. Please refer to (Annex 2) for details.

WEAR THE PINK RIBBON CONTEST
The Wear the Pink Ribbon Contest is a traditional activity of BCF that raises both breast cancer awareness and funds for BCF. The pink ribbon is the international symbol representing awareness and hope for women with breast cancer. From September to October, specially designed BCF pink ribbon pins are available at a minimum donation of $2 each at healthcare facilities, various retail and food outlets such as Courts, Bossini and Delifrance, ABN Amro banks, Wacoal counters, selected FairPrice supermarkets, and most Shell petrol stations.

Every year the pin gets a new design. This year’s pin bears the message “You can never have too many outfits. Or too many breast checks. Make more than just a fashion statement. Wear the pink ribbon and help raise breast cancer awareness.”

To encourage the use of BCF’s Pink Ribbon Pin throughout October and beyond, those spotted wearing the BCF Pin will stand a chance to win the top prize of a $10,000 pearl necklace sponsored by Flower Diamond Boutique or other great prizes.

In support of the breast cancer awareness campaign, Asian Civilisations Museum will have a special promotion in October 2005. Visitors wearing the pin will be entitled to a 50% discount on the entry fee to the museum. For more information on the contest, please call 6352 6560.

BCF/MAZDA PINK RIBBON TREASURE HUNT
BCAM 2005 will close with the BCF/Mazda Pink Ribbon Treasure Hunt. Participants in some 130 cars will take part in the Treasure Hunt, a competition on wheels, on 30 th October 2005. Cars decorated in pink ribbons and other breast cancer awareness messages will take to the roads. Using maps, photographs and other clues, participants will go to different, designated locations throughout Singapore. At each location, cryptic clues will be provided to help them answer questions. Participants will report back at a specific time to a yet-to-be specified venue where they will be treated to a buffet lunch, stage games, and performances.

The winning teams will walk away with a $5,300 Toshiba 42-inch plasma television, airline tickets, Phillip Wain vouchers and other attractive prizes while the team with the Best Dressed Car wins Shell petrol vouchers. Those interested can call 6352 6560.

MEDIA BLITZ USING OTHER CHANNELS

Messages on FairPrice Plastic Bags
Singapore's leading supermarket chain, FairPrice will be lending its support to BCAM 2005. Its carrier bags will carry the campaign slogan during the month of October. Several FairPrice outlets will distribute the BCF pink ribbon pins.

Messages on ZoCards
For the first time, we will be reaching out to the public via ZoCards. Recognising that this medium is more popular with the younger adult population, the cards will take the form of love messages that people can send to the women in their lives, and encourage them to screen themselves for breast cancer. (Please refer to samples in the press kit.)

TV Mobile Message
A message of hope will be aired in October over TV Mobile. Conceptualised by Leo Burnett, the commercial features women talking to the camera, each indicating that they have only a specified time left to go. The commercial ends with a positive twist when viewers realise that the women are talking about the time needed for their breast cancer treatment to end, highlighting the importance of early detection in saving lives and breasts.

Taxi top Messages by ComfortDelGro
ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited is lending its support yet again to raise breast cancer awareness and promote the importance of early detection. 20 Comfort and CityCab taxis carrying the message “Regular Breast Screening Saves Lives” will ply the roads from October 2005 to January 2006. Informational booklets will also be made available in these taxis for commuters.

For media queries, please contact

(Annex 1)

(Annex 2)

Service providers offering Discounted Mammography