New BreastScreen WA sarongs represent support, strength and guidance

Aboriginal women who book their mammogram at events with BreastScreen WA will now receive a striking pink sarong.

As part of a new initiative to increase cultural safety, comfort and protection, the sarong designed by Pinjarup-Whadjuk artist, Chloe Calyon, is both beautiful and practical.

Senior Aboriginal Health Program Officer for BreastScreen WA, Kelly Cameron, said it can be a bit confronting for some women to have to remove their shirts for the screening.

The new initiative encourages a comfortable and welcoming environment to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to use the free BreastScreen WA service.

The artwork features women surrounded by meeting place symbols "representing communities offering support, strength and guidance".

The van den Berg sisters were one of the first to be gifted a striking pink sarong to use during their check-up, and to take home.

The sisters, Leanne, Diane and Sharon, encourage women to make time in their busy schedule to screen for breast cancer at a BreastScreen WA mobile clinic, for themselves and for their family.

As recommended, the trio have been having mammograms together every two years since the age of 45 years.

They always relied on their mum to make the group appointment with a mobile clinic who recognised it was important to catch the cancer early for better health outcomes.

Since their mum passed away in 2022, they have continued the tradition as they have a history of breast and ovarian cancer in the family.

Leanne said one screen is not enough, you need to be screened regularly every two years.

"Mum would be proud of us," said Leanne, who has a rose tattoo on her arm to honor her mum.

"It's a bit of together time – just us girls. We usually go and have a cuppa afterwards."

Leanne, who worked at BreastScreen WA for almost 14 years, said that getting a screen with others is good for those who don't want to be alone.

The BreastScreen WA team screened 135 thousand mammograms last financial year free of charge, and travels throughout Perth suburbs and to more than 100 remote and rural areas.

BreastScreen WA is committed to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to support access to free breast screening by providing a culturally safe environment, culturally approved resources and developing partnerships within the local Aboriginal communities of WA.