PAYCE KICKSTART 'PINK!OCTOBER' BREAST SCREENING FUNDRAISER IN CANTERBURY.

• DATE: October 13^th, 2015: Canterbury NSW.

PAYCE gets behind the Lantern Club's 'PINK! October' fundraising campaign with $10,000 Donation.

Leading Australian property investment company PAYCE with a $10,000 donation has thrown its support behind the Lantern Club's 'PINK! October' fundraising campaign to help BreastScreen NSW increase the rate of screening for breast cancer among women in the Canterbury area.

The money raised during the campaign will contribute to the costs of additional community health workers, interpreters and equipment in a pre-screening sensory suite located next to the centre to help women overcome any fear or reluctance to have a mammogram screening. The sensory suite will coach women in techniques to help them relax and feel more comfortable before being screened and be confident to re-visit on a recommended biennial basis.

PAYCE healthy donation for community health sponsorship

The month-long campaign aims to raise funds for the provision of extra specialist staff and equipment when a new $3 million breast screening centre opens in the Campsie Centre in Beamish Street, Campsie next month.

At last week's major fundraiser dinner held at the Lantern Club in Roselands and attended by over 200 people, Morris Lemma, chair of The Cancer Institute NSW, the body which manages BreastScreen NSW, announced PAYCE had put its hand up for a gold sponsorship worth $10,000. The dinner raised a total of $74,150.

Brain Boyd and PAYCE step forward for Canterbury Community welfare.

Mr Iemma welcomed PAYCE as a corporate sponsor and said its generous contribution was a great start to the campaign.

"The property company is well known for its social responsibility through proactive support of local communities and charities," he said.

"In particular, PAYCE has developed a close relationship with many local bodies and groups in the Riverwood area and continues to support and encourage them in many ways.

"PAYCE's involvement with BreastScreen NSW is very timely, as more people are moving into the area and due to the multi-cultural diversity of the community and language barriers there is a lack of health education.

"Unfortunately, Canterbury has the lowest rate of breast screening in the State and that needs to change, and I am confident it will, with the help of bodies such as Lantern Club and PAYCE, who set a wonderful example for the corporate sector to follow.

"Thank you so much to PAYCE for their most generous donation of $10,000. Such great support for our campaign and very much appreciated," Debbie Waicokacola, General Manager of the Lantern Club said.

Brian Boyd – Local community health initiative

PAYCE Managing Director, Brian Boyd said he was delighted to make a contribution and proud to be part such an important community health initiative.

"It's great news that the Canterbury community is to get this vital health service in the form of the new breast screening centre at Campsie, but it is equally important that people are encouraged to visit and feel comfortable to do so on a regular basis," he said.

It's very important to make early detection facilities available to the community as the medical profession are of the opinion, which is supported by research, that early detection of disease makes effective treatment so much easier and this saves lives in the community.

"I commend Lantern Club for hosting a number of special fundraiser events over October to bring the community together and also congratulate BreastScreen NSW for the wonderful work it does for women everywhere," Brian Boyd said.

PAYCE supports preventative health care in multi-cultural community

PAYCE General Manager Dominic Sullivan said it was a priority for PAYCE to lend support to community initiatives and the regular good work they do.

"At PAYCE, we value our reputation for not only delivering quality, well-designed homes and amenities, but also in creating and supporting vibrant, healthy and inclusive communities," he said.

"Over the years, it has been a pleasure for PAYCE to work with a range of local bodies in the area, including Canterbury City Council, the Riverwood Community Centre, local schools, sporting groups and cultural groups and to see the positive rewards that come from working together.

"We have had a presence in the Canterbury area now for around five years and understand and appreciate the challenges of communicating with such a wide range of cultures and languages.

"With that in mind, we are pleased to offer our support to BreastScreen NSW so they can provide clearer communication to ensure the local community understands that these preventative measures are readily available and can literally be life-saving," Mr Sullivan said.

Breast Screening takes on Cancer statistics to reduce incidence

Breast cancer incidence ranks first in females and accounts for around 29 per cent of all new cancer diagnoses in females.

BreastScreen NSW offers a free breast screening service for women aged 40 and over. Research shows that regular screening has the greatest benefit for women in the 50-74 age group.

There are currently 43 BreastScreen facilities and 14 mobile vans located around the state, including the latest van launched last week to service Canterbury and its surrounding districts.

About PAYCE

PAYCE is a public listed Australian company with a proven track record in creating exceptional new communities.

Founded in 1978, PAYCE is a recognised leader in innovative urban renewal, and has won a reputation for transforming places through its integrated residential, retail and commercial developments.

PAYCE is responsible for the highly successful and widely acclaimed Washington Park residential project at Riverwood North in partnership with the NSW Government.

The company is firmly committed to social equity. For many years, PAYCE has helped to provide support to those in society disadvantaged by circumstances.

PAYCE's policy is to work alongside respected not-for-profit organisations and groups in supporting the good work they deliver. PAYCE's success is built upon its commitment to empowering communities to realise their own potential.

PAYCE supports numerous events and programs in the Canterbury local government area, including Music in the Rose Gardens, Carols in the Wetlands, Riverwood Public School Community Garden, the local In2Cricket program and regular community open days and free barbeques at Washington Park.