Screening Team Manager: Alex Munch
Date: 15th of May 2024
Venue: Durbanville Hills Wine Estate, Western Cape and Surrounding Farms

Farms and Number of Women booked for screening:

• De Grendel: 40
• Durbanville: 30
• Welbeloond: 9
• Maastricht: 6
• Morgenster: 7
• Bloemendal: 8
• Klein Roosboom: 17

On the 15th of May, 2024, a breast cancer screening event was held at Durbanville Hills Wine Estate, with participation from several surrounding farms. The event was organized by Screening Team Manager Alex Munch, who arrived early to coordinate with Juanita Adams and set up the screening area. This early preparation ensured that the nurses could start examinations promptly.

Nurses Marilyn and Gail arrived shortly thereafter and assisted in creating a comfortable and efficient working area within one of Durbanville Hills' spacious storage spaces. This setup allowed for the accommodation of groups of women ranging from 5 to 16, facilitating effective communication about the risk factors and warning signs of breast cancer.

The women lined up, signed consent forms, and received an educational session from Nurse Gail. She shared a poignant story about her neighbor's daughter, who passed away from breast cancer at the age of 18 due to fear of seeking help. This story highlighted that breast cancer can affect women of any age and emphasized the importance of seeking assistance and being informed about health.

Following the story, Gail demonstrated how to perform breast self-examinations and outlined the symptoms to watch for. The women then took turns entering individual gazebos for personal examinations with the nurses. During these sessions, the nurses reiterated the warning signs to ensure the information was well understood. Any detected abnormalities were documented, and a referral letter was provided for a follow-up mammogram with SCP Radiology, which offered free mammograms for those referred.

In addition to the screenings, bras collected through public donations over the past year were distributed to the women. Each woman selected a bra from the collection and received a pamphlet on breast cancer to take home. Those referred for further examination were contacted about their appointments, either directly or through their employers.

Screening Results:

• Total women screened: 80
• Total referred to SCP Radiology for mammograms and medical diagnosis: 4 (all costs covered by SCP)

The event successfully delivered vital health screenings and education to the women from the participating farms, fostering greater awareness and proactive management of breast health within the community.