declared open last week, making way for the early detection and more effective treatment of breast cancer.

"This is a great day for women in Bermuda,'' said Mrs. Kim Young, president of the Women's Advisory Council.

One in nine women test positive for breast cancer and the Stenographe 600T Senix HF, will allow both screening and specialised diagnostic studies to be performed.

Minister of Health & Social Services the Hon. Quinton Edness opened the unit before a crowd of invited guests, employees and persons affiliated with King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

"(The mammography unit) will lead to the early detection and more effective treatment of breast cancer,'' he said. "But we can't, as (hospitals board chairman) Mr. Robert Tucker said, rely solely on technology to deal with our health problems. Many of our problems arise from our diet, from smoking, from substance abuse and sometimes from careless driving. Real improvements on health come much more from changed lifestyles than from new technology.'' Mr. Edness cited the works of the late Dr. Simon Fraser, who provided services to women suffering from breast cancer for many years.

And he said as Dr. Fraser aged, he was approached by Mrs. Young, who expressed concern over what would happen when Dr. Fraser could no longer continue.

"I wish to thank the hospitals board for heeding my call to improve breast cancer screening and treatment programmes in Bermuda,'' Mr. Edness said. "The hospitals board, as we all know, is under tremendous pressure not only to maintain and upgrade its in-patient services, but also to add new services.'' Mr. Edness listed several public demands which the hospital has met including the hospice, improved ambulance service for the Island's eastern and western ends, residential addiction treatment, a unit for Alzhiemer's patients, group homes for the mentally ill, and handicapped and strengthened child psychiatric services.

"One service that I felt particularly strong about was mammography,'' he said. "As in so many areas, the hospitals board has done its best to respond to this need. Thanks must go to the board, Dr. (George) Ringer, and his staff for responding to this need.'' Earlier, Mr. Tucker said the mammogram was purchased to enable early detection and accurate and effective treatment once diagnosed, and more importantly, because of the strong demand from the women of Bermuda.

He said the unit would be used to aid the service already provided by the Tuberculosis, Health & Cancer Association rather than compete with it.

WOMEN'S CARE -- Minister of Health & Social Services the Hon. Quinton Edness officially opened the Mammography Unit at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital last week. The equipment will be used to diagnose and accurately treat breast cancer. Above, Mrs. Janet Thomas-Gauntlett, superintendent of the hospital's x-ray department shows Mr. Edness how the equipment works.