THE Bucks Free Press has today launched an SOS campaign to save a major breast screening unit which is under threat of closure.

The decision to launch the campaign to save our service came after we discovered there are proposals to close either one or two of the current breast screening units at Wycombe Hospital, Aylesbury and Milton Keynes.

Buckinghamshire Health Authority is also considering changing scheduled breast screening for women aged between 50 and 64 in the area from every two years to every three years.

Bucks Free Press readers have just ten days to fight the plans.

We have printed the coupon (right) for you to cut out and send to us so we can carry your objections to the health authority in Aylesbury by July 31.

Currently, breast screening takes place in mobile units and women found to have abnormalities are referred to one of the three hospital units for further investigation.

The closure of the High Wycombe unit could mean women have to travel to Aylesbury or Milton Keynes for further screening, only to be referred back to Wycombe for treatment if the disease is confirmed.

Health officials say the current units are too small and concentrating resources would provide a better service. It is thought the authority will make annual savings of £23,000 if only one site was used and £31,000 to £53,000 if two were kept.

More than 35,000 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in the UK last year and one in five women will fight the disease in their lifetime.

Betty Barratt, former chairman of Wycombe District Council who has suffered breast cancer twice, said: 'We must go on having something in our area. It saved my life and probably saved many countless others. Quality does include accessibility.'

She said: 'It was the continual monitoring (at the unit in Wycombe) that saved me. At least there was a lifeline with those wonderful people that work there and the support they gave you.'

Jean Martin, patient representative of the South Bucks Cancer Committee at Wycombe Hospital, said: 'It would mean an unacceptable amount of travelling at a vulnerable time. It could be incredibly scary. It could lead to more deaths. You are just going to go from pillar to post when you are absolutely scared witless.

'I think it is a great shame if we lose the facility for the local people.'

Dr Richard Horwitz, medical director of South Buckinghamshire NHS Trust, said: 'It means breaking up clinical teams that have provided a seamless service over many years.'

When asked whether he felt the service would be better after the changes he said: 'The technical answer would be yes because you will concentrate expertise, but my gut feeling is that it won't.'

A health authority spokesman said the three existing centres were small which created problems with data collection and reducing the number of centres would enable them to pool resources.

He said: 'This is not about saving money.'

You can also write directly to Dr Robert Sherriff, Director of Public Health, Buckinghamshire Health Authority, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8ET by July 31