NHS England has initiated its first advertising campaign aimed at encouraging women to attend breast cancer screenings, utilizing TV, radio, and online platforms.

Dame Cally Palmer, the NHS's national cancer director, acknowledged that various factors may deter women from participating in screenings and emphasized the campaign's objective to address these concerns.

The campaign is bolstered by support from charities such as Breast Cancer Now and Cancer Research UK, featuring letters from celebrities and survivors to motivate participation.

Newsnight anchor Victoria Derbyshire shared her personal breast cancer survival story, underscoring the critical importance of early detection through screening.

The breast screening program is estimated to prevent approximately 1,300 deaths annually in the UK, having detected cancers in 18,942 women across England in the past year.

The NHS aims to boost screening attendance to 80% by the fiscal year 2025-26, which could lead to the identification of over 7,500 additional cancers at an early stage.

Currently, breast screening uptake in England stands at 64.6% for the year 2022-23, a decline from 71.1% in 2018-19, with only 53.7% attendance among first-time invitees.

The UK screening program invites women for their first routine mammogram between the ages of 50 and 53, with follow-up screenings every three years until age 71, after which women can request screenings.

To enhance participation, the NHS has launched a 'ping and book' service through its app, which notifies women when they are due or overdue for screening.

Experts emphasize that while screening may not detect all cancers, it is vital for early detection and significantly contributes to saving lives.