Breast cancer screening is recommended every two years, starting at age 50. Knowing that 34 women die daily in France from this disease, of which 1 000 per year in Occitanie. Accessing this examination is sometimes complicated by the problem of commuting in rural areas and the closure of some radiology centers.
portable mammography
At the end of 2019, when it was announced that Quillan’s mammograms had stopped working, a group of women launched a petition to the Limoux sub-county. Action to develop the structured offer of breast cancer screening at the Haute Vallée de l’Aude and a working group has been established to work towards the delivery of mammography equipment to the Region : Mammobile.
Thursday 23 June, a press conference aimed at presenting this new equipment was held at the headquarters of the Municipal Community in the presence of Dr. Pujol, Director General of CRDC-OC (Regional Cancer Screening Coordination Center in Occitanie), Dr. Elsa Fignon, Head of the CRDC Site, Xavier Crisnaire, Director of ARS (Agency Regional Health), Mr. Brizon, Director of the Limoux-Quillan Hospital Center, Dr. El Habchi, Doctor of Quillan, Pierre Castel, Mayor of Quillan, Christian Soula, Mayor of Espéraza, of Francis Savi, President of the Community of Pyrenees Municipalities Audoises, and five Quillanaises at the origin of the petition . Everyone paid tribute to Christian Mogard who supported the petition of these women and worked vigorously for the creation of Mammobile in the territory.
Mammobile is a true mammography center on a semi-trailer, staffed by a team of experienced and caring professionals for women. Breast cancer screening is offered free of charge, without an appointment and without a prescription (CRCDC-OC is sending an invitation to participate in this screening).
The screening, intended for women aged 50 to 74, lasts less than 20 minutes, making it possible to detect small cancers early before symptoms appear.
In addition to having a mammogram, a clinical examination will be performed by a general practitioner in the area immediately. The mammogram will then be analyzed by a first radiologist, and then read again for examination twice.
During the Mammobile visit, the midwife will also attend, in order to raise women’s awareness of cervical cancer screening.
This proposed project is being implemented within the framework of the local health contract of Vallée de l’Aude by the Regional Center for the Coordination of Cancer Screening in Occitanie (CRCDC-OC) with the support of the regional health agency, Caisse Primary Health Insurance and MSA Grand Sud.
Free without an appointment
Mammobile will be present for 3 days from 9am-5:30pm non-stop: Monday 4th July at Espéraza, Espace Louis-Alibert.Tuesday 5 July in Axat, Place de la Gare;Wednesday 6th July In Quillan, Espace Catare (ed.). For the occasion, doctors from the region are mobilizing: Espéraza: Dr. Michel Grand and Dr. Cecile Grand, two physicians who are retired but still active in the region. Kellan: Dr. Michael Beach, retired physician, but still active in the territory. XAT: Dr. Marie Julie Trome, Physician at the Xat Multidisciplinary Home, the Mammobile can accommodate people with reduced mobility thanks to the lift, and it offers the same guarantees and the same quality of care as in a traditional radiology center.
