The BreastCheck and CervicalCheck programmes were recently shortlisted in the Best Health Promotion Project category of CrystalClear Health Literacy Awards for promoting awareness of programmes.
The award recognises the importance of developing a suite of information leaflets and tailored materials for both programmes with simple, sensitive and easy to understand language to address barriers to screening which include fear, literacy difficulties, language barriers and embarrassment. The judging panel also took into consideration specific publications including the BreastCheck ‘Guide to breast screening’ for women with intellectual disabilities and their carers, the pictorial CervicalCheck information leaflet and the ‘Simple Guide to the Language Used in Cervical Screening’ that helps ensure smeartakers can clearly explain the process and clinical results to women.
The award also acknowledged the work of the screening promotion team in local communities, their programme of peer education and partnership with the Irish Cancer Society in delivering the play ‘Unravelling the Ribbon’ nationwide.
Sarah Mumford and Maeve McNamara, two HSE community dieticians were the winners in the Health Promotion category for their project ‘Milk it, much Ado about nothing’ which encouraged discussion and debate on breast feeding. Others included Europa Donna Ireland in the best project in the community or social setting category for the ‘9 things you should know about breast cancer leaflet’ to explain access to breast cancer screening and treatment.