Pink Campervan Takes Breast Health Support to Eastern Bay

The Breast Cancer Foundation’s iconic Pink Campervan is making its way around the Eastern Bay of Plenty this month, bringing specialist breast health advice directly to local communities.

The Pink Campervan is touring Ōpōtiki, Te Kaha, Kawerau and Whakatāne, giving people the opportunity to talk to specialist breast nurses for free, without an appointment.

The initiative is designed to reach communities that can face barriers to accessing health information and services.

Head of Nursing and Community Outreach Sarah Timmis said taking the campervan to smaller and more isolated communities was an important part of the foundation’s work.

“We want that reliable information easier to access,” she said.

“We go to community centres, we go to supermarkets, we go to workplaces and marae because we want that reliable information easier to access.”

The campervan is staffed by two specialist nurses who can provide information about breast health, signs and symptoms, ways to lower breast cancer risk and mammograms.

Visitors can drop in for a chat, have a cup of tea and ask questions in an informal setting.

“You don't need an appointment, and there's absolutely no such thing as a silly question,” Timmis said.

“If it's to do with your health, it's so important.”

The current Pink Campervan was launched in 2023, replacing the foundation’s previous caravan, Pinky, and allowing the nurses to travel further and reach more communities.

Timmis said the campervan was deliberately designed to be noticeable.

“You can't miss it when you see it going down the road,” she said.

Nurses will offer advice on checking your own breasts and help people register for mammograms. IMAGE // Breast Cancer Foundation NZ

The Eastern Bay of Plenty tour is also about helping people recognise changes in their breasts and understand when they should seek medical advice.

Timmis said breast cancer was not simply about finding a lump.

“Breast cancer isn't just a lump,” she said.

“It can be a rash, it can be itchy nipples, it can be something that doesn't look quite right, a dimple.”

Knowing what is normal for them can help people identify changes earlier and seek the appropriate assessment and treatment.

“Early detection is just so important,” Timmis said.

“For people whose cancer is identified via mammograms, there's a 95% 10-year survival rate. That drops to 85% for people who have found signs and symptoms themselves.”

The foundation says about 210 women are diagnosed with breast cancer across the Bay of Plenty each year.

Timmis said improving access to trusted information was particularly important, with information only useful if people can access it when they need it and in a way that is welcoming and easy to understand.

The nurses can also help people register for mammograms, with the foundation estimating that 30 per cent of eligible women across New Zealand are not currently registered for mammograms.

And while the campervan offers an opportunity to discuss concerns, visitors should not expect a physical examination.

“We don't examine your breast,” Timmis said.

“We're happy to talk to you about your breast health, and we're happy to help you navigate an appointment with somebody to be seen about your breast.”

“We just want to talk to you.”

Timmis encouraged anyone who sees the campervan in their community to come and say hello, whether or not they have a specific concern.

“You don't need to have found a breast change or be worried about something,” she said.

“We actually just want you to come and say hello and see some of our information.”

Ultimately, Timmis said the goal was for people to leave the campervan feeling more confident about their own breast health.

“We want people to feel informed themselves,” she said.

“They're in control of knowing they're normal, keeping an eye, making sure that they regularly check their breasts.”

The foundation’s wider goal is zero deaths from breast cancer, with early detection playing a key role.

“We really want to work towards the foundation's aim of zero deaths from breast cancer,” Timmis said.

“And that's what early detection is about.”

The Pink Campervan will visit the following Eastern Bay of Plenty locations:

• Monday, September 7: 9.00am–2.30pm — Whakatōhea Mussels, 89 Waioeka Road, Ōpōtiki.
• Tuesday, September 8: 10.00am–12.00pm — Ko-Kollective Kaumatua Hui, 44A Goring Street, Ōpōtiki.
• Tuesday, September 8: 12.30pm–3.00pm — Ōpōtiki New World, 19 Bridge Street.
• Wednesday, September 9: 9.00am–3.00pm — Toi Ora Health Clinic carpark, 32A King Street, Ōpōtiki.
• Thursday, September 10: 9.00am–2.30pm — Te Kaha Medical Centre, 6580 State Highway 35, Te Kaha.
• Tuesday, September 15: 9.00am–2.30pm — New World Kawerau, Tarawera Court, Kawerau.
• Tuesday, September 29: 9.00am–3.00pm — PAK'nSAVE Whakatāne, 45 King Street, Kopeopeo, Whakatāne.

The service is free, and no appointment is required.

“Please come say hello,” Sarah said. “We'd love to see you.”