Health and Wellbeing Event Comes to Dundrum

Residents in Dundrum and the surrounding areas have availed of free basic health checks thanks to a visit by Action Cancer’s Big Bus on Tuesday 1 August.

Slieve Croob District Electoral Area (DEA) joined forces with County Down Rural Community Network (CDRCN) to provide residents of all ages with an opportunity to receive an MOT check including cancer screenings, blood pressure measurements, glucose and cholesterol testing and body composition assessments.

The Action Cancer Big Bus mobile clinic is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and staffed by trained healthcare professionals offering breast screening, health checks and health promotion services. The event was aimed at empowering residents with valuable information about their health, to equipe them with the tools to make informed decisions and identify any health concerns that may arise from the screenings.

The clinics were available for anyone to attend and women between the ages of 40-49 and 70+ could also avail of a breast screening service. All available appointments were fully booked on the day demonstrating the need for health events such as these within rural communities where doorstep access to hospital and clinic screening services are not always readily available.

Newry Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Valerie Harte commented, “It is so important that we continue to bring this vital service to the heart of the local community so that everyone, irrespective of where they live have access to health screening services.”

Cllr Harte continued, “Detecting cancer at an early stage saves lives. The 20-minute interactive health checks help residents to enhance their knowledge of healthy lifestyle choices to reduce cancer and other health related conditions. I am delighted that partnership working has been able to offer what could be a life changing appointment to residents in the Dundrum area.”