By Melissa Blewitt

Condobolin residents are being encouraged to use Breast Cancer Awareness Month as an opportunity to start conversations about the disease and the importance of early detection.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in NSW, with about 7,000 new cases diagnosed each year.
The Cancer Institute NSW reports that about one in seven women will develop breast cancer by the age of 85, while breast cancer accounts for about 28 per cent of all new cancer diagnoses among NSW women.
The local population includes a significant number of residents in the age groups targeted by breast screening. At the 2011 Census, Lachlan Shire had 3,229 female residents, representing 49.9 per cent of the Shire’s population. The median age was 40, while 18.7 per cent of the overall population was aged 65 or over.
Across the Shire, 1,028 residents were aged between 50 and 64 and a further 630 were aged 65 to 74 at the time of the 2011 Census. These figures include both men and women but illustrate the sizeable older population in the community.
Almost 390,000 women were screened through BreastScreen NSW in the 12 months to October 2026, the highest number recorded in a 12-month period.
However, only 51.6 per cent of eligible NSW women were up to date with their recommended two-yearly breast screen. In regional NSW, the figure was higher at 57.8 per cent.
The latest figures also show that 23 per cent of NSW women aged 50 to 74 had never attended BreastScreen in 2025.
For women in the Lachlan Shire, where accessing some specialist health services can involve travelling outside the area, staying up to date with screening and knowing the signs of breast cancer remains important.
The statistics come as Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) and Tetley Tea launch their A Life-Changing Cuppa campaign, encouraging Australians to use a simple cup of tea as an opportunity to check in with family and friends.
BCNA chief executive Kirsten Pilatti said breast cancer could affect people at different ages and in different ways.
“It is so important that people feel able to speak about their health, share their experiences and seek medical advice when something does not feel right,” Ms Pilatti said.
She said asking someone how they were really doing could also provide important support to people facing a new diagnosis, undergoing treatment or living with metastatic breast cancer.
“You do not need to have all the answers; sometimes starting the conversation and being there to listen is what matters most,” she said.
BreastScreen NSW provides free breast screening, with women aged 50 to 74 invited to have a mammogram every two years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are recommended to begin screening from 40.
Breast cancer deaths among women aged 50 to 74 have fallen by 45 per cent since the national BreastScreen program began in 1991.
The campaign will also raise funds for BCNA’s work supporting people diagnosed with breast cancer and their supporters, including its free My Journey online resource.
The organisation provides information, support and opportunities for people affected by breast cancer to connect with others who have had similar experiences.
The A Life-Changing Cuppa campaign will run throughout October.