Mammobile, pink umbrellas, screening: the City of Nîmes strengthens its actions for Pink October

On the occasion of Pink October, the City of Nîmes and its partners presented the various actions deployed in the region to raise awareness about cancer in women. Midi Libre – Emeline Andreani

For Pink October, the City of Nîmes is organizing, with its associative and institutional partners, numerous actions to encourage women to get screened for cancer.

“One in eight women will be confronted with cancer in her life and it is the leading cause of death by cancer in women”. A worrying observation, but far from fatalistic for Frederic Streit, deputy director of ARS Occitanie. “90% of women are cured during early detection, so there is a message of hope”, he emphasizes. On Monday, September 23, alongside Dolorès Orlay-Moureau, deputy delegate for health, among others, and some of the twenty-five partners of the institutional and associative network for the prevention and screening of female cancers (breast, uterus and colon), they presented the various actions implemented in the region on the occasion of Pink October.

A mammomobile for the first time in the Gard

With the first new feature, the deployment of a mammobile, a mobile screening service. A first in the Gard. It will travel to several locations: in Vigan (November 19, boulevard des Châtaigniers), in Vauvert (December 11, rue des capitaines), in Grau du Roi (December 12, place de la mairie) and in Vergèze (December 13, rue du Charron). “We have chosen sectors with a deficit in terms of health, where we cannot set up radiology offices,” explains Dr. Belin from the regional cancer screening coordination center (CRCDC). A service that is mainly aimed at women aged between 50 and 74, or even younger for those with family history.

Actions organized in the Gard

Screening days organized by multidisciplinary health centers: Thursday, September 26 in Carnot, October 8 in Carémeau and December 10 at the MSP La Bandido.

«Women's Health » Day on October 11 at the Espace Vergnoles : screening for women's cancers will be discussed with the participation of midwives, CRCDC, the League Against Cancer, and CPAM. Many neighborhood associations will be invited to workshops on nutrition, physical activities, and well-being.

The Departmental Committee for Voluntary Physical Education Gymnastics, specializing in health sports, is organizing a walk open to all. The date is set for Saturday, October 12 in the morning from 9 a.m. at Mas d'Escattes.

TheAssociation les roses du Gard has several stands: MSP Le berceau (stand and workshops for the association's beneficiaries) on October 8, Pissevin market on October 9, stand at Zontienne on October 13, employee awareness: Aviva Services in Nîmes on October 14, intervention at Hemingway high school on October 17.

The charity race “La Zontienne 2024” is organized on October 13 in Nîmes, at Mas d’Escattes. Several routes: 10 km hiking, 10 km walking, 5 km hiking or 5 km walking. Registration between October 3 and 12 at www.endurancechrono.com. The profits will be donated to the socio-aesthetic workshops at the Gard Cancer Institute (I.C.G).

Other actions are also organized in October in the region (see box) to raise awareness but also collect donations for the fight against cancer: screenings in multidisciplinary health centers (MSP), awareness days in companies, a meeting with young people at the Hemingway high school, stands in various places in the city… “These days, in particular the “women's health” days, allow doctors and midwives to perform a smear test on site, provide a colorectal screening kit and also offer appointments for a mammogram”, explains Dr. Célénie Debry, representative of the Gard territorial professional health community (CPTS).

Illumination and pink umbrellas

Another new feature wanted by the City is the illumination of the Maison Carré every evening starting Monday, October 14 at 6:30 p.m. In partnership with the League Against Cancer, the risers of the grand staircase of the Musée de la Romanité will also be decorated in pink, with prevention messages to raise public awareness. “And I don't want to go too far, but we would like pink umbrellas to be installed on a street in Nîmes, but for now, it's still under discussion,” announces Dolorès Orlay-Moureau for the City. Umbrellas would also be on sale in various stores, for the benefit of the ICM.

So many actions that aim to achieve the European objective of 70% of women being screened. Still a long way to go since in Occitania, “less than 50% of women participate in screening”, concludes Frederic Streit.