Breast cancer prevention is done at the Police Headquarters and in the Police School. In 4 cities – Milan, Brescia, Bologna and Piacenza – women in the State Police force and students will be able to access free clinical and ultrasound check-ups in the 20 to 44 age group (not included in the regional mammographic screenings that start at 45 years of age) and informative and educational counseling in the over 45 age group. The aim of the campaign, called ‘Care for Caring’: to specifically expand prevention and increase awareness of crucial issues such as early diagnosis against this neoplasm. The project, presented today at the Milan Police Headquarters, is the result of collaboration between the State Police, the Fondazione Irccs Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico in Milan, the Spedali Civili in Brescia, the Irccs Azienda ospedaliero-universitaria di Bologna Sant’Orsola-Malpighi and the Piacenza Local Health Authority.
“It is a project that takes care of the women of the State Police – explained the police commissioner of Milan, Bruno Megale – a beautiful, original idea: we who take care of the citizens receive from the same citizens this ‘return’ for our women. The screenings and checks are done in the facility” by doctors made available by the health facilities involved. The initiative is conceived and coordinated by Ladies First. And the campaign, planned by the Central Health Directorate – Health Coordination Office for the Lombardy and Emilia Romagna Regions, is part of the health promotion activity in the personnel of the State Police. A project that enjoys the patronage of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (Aiom) and is carried out with the unconditional support of the main sponsor company AstraZeneca and the companies, as technical partners, Centro Diagnostico Italiano-Gruppo Bracco, GE HealthCare and Samsung Electronics.
“The female population has grown significantly in recent years,” highlighted Mario Mazzotti, senior medical director of the State Police. And with the project launched today, he added, “we are going to intercept a segment of the young population in our realities, the 20-44 age group” for the checks. “We joined to give greater prevention to our policewomen, but above all to educate about prevention. Today we see that the percentages of participation in screening between the North, Center and South are different. And the idea of this project is to sensitize the women of the State Police both to take care of themselves, but also to then become ambassadors themselves and carry this message of prevention throughout the national territory, sensitizing” other women in turn. Today breast cancer “has become treatable, a disease that can be cured, but prevention is fundamental” and so is early diagnosis.
The campaign will be officially presented later in Bologna (September 23), Piacenza (September 24) and Brescia (September 26). Reservations for visits, check-ups and the proposed counselling have already been open for a few days (on the official website of the campaign careforcaring.it). Activities that in Milan will be held in Piazza Sant’Ambrogio in the Provincial Health Office of the Police Headquarters and in the Multifunctional Health Centre of the Police in via Umberto Cagni. While in Brescia the headquarters of the project is the Pol.GAI Police School in via Pavoni; in Bologna the Provincial Health Office of the Police Headquarters in via Bovi Campeggi; and finally in Piacenza in the State Police Student Agents School in via Malta.
The initiative aims to involve approximately 1,500 women: depending on their age group, they will be able to access specialist visits and ultrasound checks or individual interviews with specialist doctors for educational sessions on cancer prevention, the importance of regular mammographic checks, self-examination and healthy lifestyles. During the project, information materials will also be distributed to broaden its scope and support the prevention actions implemented by the Regions for mammographic checks, with the aim of increasing the number of women who respond positively to the invitation to screening and therefore include them in national prevention programs.
The activities will be concentrated on 3 weekdays, in addition to Saturdays in Milan and Bologna, and on 2 weekdays in Brescia and Piacenza. Women who need further diagnostic testing will be directed to hospitals, health facilities and outpatient clinics in the area. The information material that will be distributed was created thanks to medical-scientific partners and will be available to all interested personnel. The educational activity will also concern other forms of cancer, such as ovarian, cervical and colon cancer, which can now be monitored through screening and prevention programs made available by the NHS for the entire population.
“The incidence of breast cancer is increasing and therefore it is becoming increasingly important to monitor women throughout their lives, starting from an age younger than that currently foreseen by screening programs”, is the message from Giuseppe Curigliano, president of the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) and vice scientific director of the European Institute of Oncology (IEO) in Milan. “In addition to ensuring a perspective of health or immediate intervention when the problem occurs, it is necessary to increase awareness of the importance of primary prevention, that is, undergoing regular check-ups, abstaining from smoking and alcohol consumption, adopting healthy lifestyles and a correct diet, combined with physical activity”.
The campaign will also be launched through the communication channels of the State Police, and with the distribution of posters and flyers in health offices and other environments accessible to staff. “A valuable initiative because it raises awareness among women on the importance of prevention in the fight against breast cancer – said Romano La Russa, regional councilor for Security – Adherence to screening is fundamental, together with the adoption of correct lifestyles recommended by doctors. These are issues on which the Lombardy Region is actively engaged with campaigns and initiatives”. The hope, he continued, “is that more and more women will trust in screening programs”.
“Behind every policewoman there is a woman, a mother, a family, there is a body that needs to be cared for. This campaign is a gift to those who by profession, or rather, by mission, constantly turn their gaze towards others”, concluded Megale.
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