The initiative was developed through the Regional Promoting Informed Choice Group, a partnership between the South Eastern Trust and Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, with support from Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and Stepping Stones NI. The video aims to reduce anxiety around screening by showing women exactly what happens during an appointment and what they can expect when they arrive.

Filmed at the mobile Breast Screening Unit at Lagan Valley Hospital, the short video features Stepping Stones NI ambassador Sarah Alderdice, who shares her personal experience of attending a breast screening appointment and highlights the support she received from the Trust’s Breast Imaging Service Team.

Caroline McGrath, Community Health Development Practitioner with the South Eastern Trust, said:

“The role of the Regional Promoting Informed Choice Group is to ensure all eligible women in Northern Ireland are able to make an informed choice about attending for breast screening. By creating this video, we aim to give women with a learning disability the knowledge and confidence to access this important service.”

The project has also received strong support from Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and produced at the end of Mayor Alderman Amanda Grehan’s term.  Mayor Amanda championed inclusion and diversity during her year as Mayor and  said the video was designed to remove uncertainty and help women feel more comfortable about attending appointments.

“I wanted to make sure that anyone who was worried about what a breast screening exam would entail could see it for themselves beforehand. The idea of the video was to take that ‘fear factor’ away before a woman even walks through the door of the Unit.

“The video features Sarah, who has kindly agreed to share her experience on camera so that others know what to expect. Parents, carers and the women they support can watch the video together before an appointment so there are no surprises, no fears and nothing standing between them and a potentially life-saving screening.

“Breast screening saves lives. Early detection makes all the difference. No woman should miss a life-saving appointment out of fear of the unknown.”

Stepping Stones NI is proud to have supported the development of this important resource and to see one of our ambassadors playing such a key role in promoting accessible healthcare information.

Ciara Brennan, Director of Marketing and Communications at Stepping Stones NI, praised Sarah’s contribution:

“We are incredibly proud of Sarah. She is a passionate and dedicated advocate for people with learning disabilities and her commitment to making a difference is truly inspiring and we want as many women with learning disabilities to see this, especially during learning disability week.

“Sarah is a natural ambassador. Her voice, experience and enthusiasm make her ideally placed to promote the importance of breast screening within the learning disability community.”

The video demonstrates how partnership working can help break down barriers to healthcare and ensure that people with learning disabilities have access to clear, accessible information that empowers them to make informed choices about their health.

For Sarah, sharing her experience is about helping other women feel reassured and confident to attend their appointments. By seeing the screening process in advance, women and their families can better understand what to expect and feel supported in accessing this potentially life-saving service.

Click here to view the video.