No woman should be afraid of breast screening...what happened when I went for my appointment

Nearly a third of women in Derbyshire and Notting hamshire don't attend breast screening appointments. Lynette Pinchess has friends who have never taken up the invitation despite it being potentially life saving. They say they are frightened and anxious about it hurting or they have put off the appointment because they are to busy. Lynette shares her experience in a bid to demystify what goes on, with the hope it shows there is so reason to be scared

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IT'S just a typical Tuesday morning.

My diary for the day is packed with interviews but there's one appointment at 9.05am that takes precedence. That's my invitation to a breast screening.

I'd never skip this potentially lifesaving visit, come hell or high water.

I've lost friends to the scourge of breast cancer and others have had mastectomies and chemotherapy.

I'm well aware of the importance of getting checked out as in 2016 I was diagnosed with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), a very early form of the disease where abnormal cells are confined within the lining of the milk ducts and haven't spread into surrounding breast tissue.

I count my lucky stars that I'd been part of a pilot scheme inviting women under 50 for breast screening. If I hadn't had that mammogram I hate to think what might have been the outcome.

As it was I had a lumpectomy (surgery at the side of my left breast) followed by programme of radiotherapy, travelling to and from hospital every day for five gruelling weeks. It was draining, my skin was red raw, but after that I carried on with my life as normal.