A local fundraising drive for Action Cancer, supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Leading food convenience retailers SuperValu and Centra, are launching a new initiative to support their long-term charity partner Action Cancer, by encouraging shoppers to help sponsor a mammogram.
Each SuperValu and Centra store is aiming to raise at least £120, which is how much it costs Action Cancer to provide one free mammogram to women in Northern Ireland. Last year, the service provided 1,950 breast screenings to women aged 40-49 and over 70 years – outside of NHS screening age.
From Monday 10th to Friday 14th October, staff at SuperValu and Centra stores across Northern Ireland will be armed with buckets collecting donations to raise funds for this life-saving service. Customers will also be able to donate at the tills using cash or card.
Desi Derby, Director of Marketing for SuperValu and Centra, said,
“We have a long-standing partnership with Action Cancer and our amazing retailers, colleagues and customers have raised £3.5m to date to keep the Big Bus on the road. We’re proud to launch this new initiative and would encourage our customers to support this worthwhile cause in our stores and help save the life of a mum, granny, daughter, aunt, wife or friend.
“Our marketing campaign features 16 local women who have benefited from Action Cancer breast screening service, a testament to the importance of this vital service and the need for continued fundraising.”
Corporate Fundraising Manager for Action Cancer, Lucy McCusker, added:
“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with SuperValu and Centra with the launch of this new initiative. Our breast screening service detects approximately six cancers in every 1,000 women screened, and with the support of our partners SuperValu and Centra, we can continue to provide these life-saving screenings. Each mammogram, while free to the client, costs Action Cancer £120, so every penny raised could help save the life of a woman close to you.”
Bridie Treanor from Roslea in County Fermanagh, and a mum to six children and granny to four grandchildren, attended Action Cancer’s Big Bus for a breast screening when it visited SuperValu Newtownbutler in 2019. As Bridie was outside the age bracket for NHS screening, it was this appointment that detected her cancer. Bridie underwent successful surgery and treatment and is now cancer free.
Speaking today, Bridie said:
“I am so thankful to Action Cancer’s Big Bus for saving my life and I can look forward to celebrating future birthdays and watching my family grow up. I never would have travelled all the way up to Belfast to attend a routine screening so I’m grateful that women like me can access this vital service in their own communities. Please support this wonderful charity in whatever way you can.”
