AddThis SmartLayers

Masthead goes pink as regional daily launches cancer awareness drive

A regional daily turned its masthead pink to raise awareness of the lack of women getting screened for breast cancer on its patch.

The News, Portsmouth, is urging more readers to undergo the lifesaving screening, after revealing only 52pc of women in the city attend when invited to do so.

Between April 2015 and March this year, out of the 12,116 women invited for screenings by Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, only 6,400 attended.

The News splashed on the revelation on Friday, which coincided with Breast Cancer Now’s Wear It Pink Day campaign.

portsmouth-pink

The pink masthead, pictured on the front page above, was published in tribute.

As part of the campaign, which is in its 15th year, women are being encouraged to get screened and be aware of possible symptoms.

Editor Mark Waldron said: “Wear it Pink Day is a simple and fun initiative to raise awareness of breast cancer, a disease which will have affected the lives of the family and friends of so many of our readers.

“Turning our masthead pink was a positive way for us to support the day and spread the word.

“But behind the colour change comes the stark message that nearly half of the women in our area aged 50 to 70 being invited to breast screenings are not taking up their invitation.

“We hope Friday’s coverage will help change that for the better.”