An upbeat song and music video has been launched in Liverpool to remind women to go for their routine breast cancer screening.<\/p>\n
The song is part of an awareness campaign to promote the vital cancer checks that save thousands of lives across the country each year. It has been created by Anfield and Everton Community Innovation Team, which involves community organisations, creatives, volunteers, social prescribers, GP practices, nurses, care coordinators and data specialists.<\/p>\n
GP practices in North Liverpool have been involved in a long-term awareness project to improve rates of cancer screening. Their successful and award-winning Be Breast Savvy campaign \u2013 which involved a series of promotional roadshows from May 2023 to November 2024 \u2013 has taken the area from the lowest uptake of breast cancer screening in the city to among the highest.<\/p>\n
Now the Anfield and Everton Community Innovation Team, which led the campaign, is urging people not to ignore their screening appointment with the song \u2018Time Is Precious\u2019, that has the catchy chorus: \u201cPlease tell your Mam \u2013 to have a mammogram!\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr Vicki Doyle, Director of Capacity Development International, who coached the team, said:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Be Breast Savvy roadshow was a riot of science, media, and art using poetry, humour, bespoke health information, visual art, sewing, photography and film to help create community conversations around breast awareness and breast screening. The team successfully reduced non-attendance at screenings by 25% in their catchment population and significantly increased breast screening uptake.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow we are using music to do the same thing. We know that music is a great vehicle for communicating health messaging, which is why the team decided to write the song and make a music video.\u201d<\/p>\n
The song was written by Keith McCulloch who is a social prescriber from Anfield and Everton and also a professional singer\/songwriter. It is a gentle reminder to all women to prioritise their own health, and to eligible women, aged 50 to 71, not to ignore their invitation for routine breast screening when they get it.<\/p>\n
Keith said:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe messaging was influenced and derived from the conversations we had with women, family and friends who engaged with the roadshows, and members of the team helped to write the lyrics.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe title, \u2018Time is Precious\u2019, speaks for itself and is all about making the most of the time we have, not neglecting our health but enjoying a healthy life with family and friends. We also incorporated into the lyrics \u2018four X-rays can save your life\u2019, which was a key line from the mammogram poem we used to promote breast cancer screening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Professionally recorded at a converted garage studio in Birkenhead, the song was produced by Ronnie Stone and is copyrighted through Universal Music. Liverpool-based film company, Brightmoon Media, made the music video. The team have launched the video in time for the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.<\/p>\n
Tracey Wright, Deputy Director of Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance, which is helping to fund the campaign, said:<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a positive and engaging way to raise awareness of the importance of breast screening, which is saving thousands of lives across the country each year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want women to take action by prioritising their own health and prompting their friends, colleagues \u2013 and their Mams \u2013 to go for that mammogram when they are sent an appointment.\u201d<\/p>\n
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