#777: Sydney hospital workers find more breast cancer
The Sydney Morning Herald.
July 27, 2007 – 6:04AM
Another 12 female employees from a Sydney hospital have been found to have breast cancer, bringing the current toll to 17.
More cases are expected to be revealed.
Health Services Union spokesman Gerald Hayes told Fairfax newspapers the latest cases reported to him were past and present employees of the hospital’s food services department.
A spokeswoman for Concord Hospital, in Sydney’s west, said she expected to see “many more cases across the hospital”.
“It is important to remember that breast cancer is a relatively common disease and will affect one in eight women in their lifetime,” she told Fairfax.
“Therefore we expect to see many more cases across the hospital as there are approximately 1800 women working there at the moment. “And there is likely to be many more who have worked there over the study period of 1998 to 2007.”
A formal investigation into a possible cancer cluster at the hospital began last week after five other women, who worked closely together, were diagnosed with breast cancer.
The union has written to WorkCover, seeking a full investigation, Mr Hayes said.
“We’re certainly more concerned now than we were,” he told Fairfax.
At a meeting of 80 union members on Tuesday, a resolution was moved demanding the Sydney South West Area Health Service pay for all female employees to have mammograms.
© 2007 AAP
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