Wakaberry Cresta joined PinkDrive in raising breast cancer awareness on 24 October.
PinkDrive set up a stall at Cresta Shopping Centre’s Wakaberry, driving the fact that ‘Early Detection Saves Lives’.
“We want to make people aware of breast cancer and sell goodies that will help us ensure that women can detect breast cancer early,” said Chantelle Smith, who spent hours at Wakaberry selling goodie bags.
“All the funds raised will be used to equip the organisation on the mobile trucks that we use to [travel] to rural and disadvantaged areas so we can do free mammograms on women,” added Smith.
PinkDrive currently runs two pink mobile breast-check units, as well as three educational cars. Both units travel to semi-urban and urban areas around South Africa, with the aim of allowing various disadvantaged communities access to education, physical examinations and how to do breast self-examination, according to marketing manager of PinkDrive Febe Meyer.
“The statistic that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime is a shocking one. But the fact that early detection means a very good chance of cure and long-term survival give us all hope,” said Michele Fourie co-founder and managing executive at Wakaberry.
The PinkDrive mobile screening unit was successfully launched in the Western Cape in 2011, and operated through local clinics, community health centres and hospitals.
The unit returned to Gauteng in December 2012, and has continued working through local clinics, community health centres and hospitals in Gauteng.
In March 2014, PinkDrive unveiled South Africa’s first Mobile Women’s Health Unit in the form of a 14-ton truck. Described as a “doctor’s room on wheels”, the unit boasts a state-of-the-art gynaecology area for pap smears and examinations, a reception area for administration and a radiology area.
To date, PinkDrive has provided over 5 000 free mammograms, done over 60 000 clinical breast examinations in community areas, educated over
90 000, and distributed over 100 000 educational materials.
PinkDrive has conducted 6 747 mammograms, 102 930 clinical breast examinations and 115 123 women have been educated on breast health.
