The Israel Cancer Association:
Invests immense efforts to continually develop and implement new and effective early detection programs.
Initiates and implements nationwide screening programs that have been proven beneficial, and purchases advanced diagnostic systems.
Strives to raise public awareness and compliance to undergo the recommended examinations, through information & education programs for the general public, and also provides training for health care personnel.
Breast cancer is Israel's most widespread malignant disease, affecting one in every 8 women in her lifetime.
But, with early detection, approximately 90% of the women afflicted can be cured and here too, ICA leads the fight against breast cancer, addressing the matter on all fronts.
ICA initiated the National Mammography Screening Project and through ICA's "Invitation to Life" project, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Health Care Funds, women in the target age group are personally invited to undergo mammography examination.
The National Mammography Screening, along with ongoing information campaigns, helped to significantly raise the level of awareness and compliance to early detection.
To this date, within the framework of this national program, over 5,200,000 examinations have been conducted. 72% of those diagnosed were in early stages of the disease with a very high chance for recovery.
ICA purchased a Mobile Mammography Unit, with the intent to improve accessibility in the peripheries and special sectors of the population in which compliance to undergo the examination is considerably low.
The Mobile Mammography Unit is available to women residing in remote areas and who are less aware of the importance of screening tests, such as in Arab villages and the geographical periphery where there is a high percentage of new immigrants, ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, etc.
The current data indicate a significant reduction in the gaps between these sectors since its operation.
The WHO survey of the European region in 2009 revealed that Israel leads in mammography compliance rates, in view of the narrowed gaps between different sectors of the population.
Based on data collected through the national mammography screening and quality assurance program financed by ICA, it has emerged that since the inception of the project breast cancer early detection rates have significantly improved.
As a result, Israel is among the leading countries with the highest survival rates, and according to the Central Bureau of Statistics, since the inception of the nationwide screening program, mortality rates have decreased by 30% over the last decade.
ICA "Tele-information" Telephone Service: Is another means by which ICA offers the public comprehensive information on all aspects of cancer in Hebrew, Arabic and Russian.
ICA's Cancer Resource and Information Center:
Provides assistance in seeking further knowledge through access to international databases and professional publications.
ICA is proud to serve as Israel's leading source of information in the fight against cancer. Thanks to the intensive efforts of the ICA in early detection andraising awareness there has been increased public awareness of the critical importance of early detection tests for cancer.
Kindly contact us, should you wish to contribute to this project. Please note that all donations received are transferred in full (no overhead is taken).
Lili Lev Biller
Committees and Projects Coordinator
Telephone: +972-3-571.95.74
E-Mail: lilib@cancer.org.il