A community trust has pledged a cash boost towards screening for a gene variant known to increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer in Orcadians.
The Westray Development Trust has announced it is matching funds from Friends of Anchor to support a pilot screening programme.
This comes after a recent study revealed one in 100 people with Orcadian grandparents has an inherited gene linked to a higher risk of cancer.
Experts say people with this variant, the BRCA1, have a greater chance of developing breast and ovarian cancers in their lifetime.
Using clinical genealogy, it was found the patients all have similar ancestors – leading back to one large family from Westray.
The Westray Development Trust stepped up to help fund the pilot screening programme, organised by NHS Grampian.
People living in Westray, with at least one Westray-born grandparent, will soon be able to take part in the screening.
‘We just felt that we had to do something as well’
Gina Rendall, operations manager of the trust, said she was “proud” they could make the donation to support local testing.
She said: “Friends of Anchor had promised funding towards it and we just felt that we had to do something as well to boost it.
“One in 100 people with an Orkney grandparent – specifically a Westray-born grandparent – has a chance of having this variant. It just means women here can be more informed, make a decision about anything they want to proceed with in the future, but I think, more importantly, access quicker testing should they ever need it.
“If they think something’s changed they will be able to say ‘I have this variant’ and they would be fast-tracked for testing.”
Mrs Rendall hopes the pilot will be rolled out across Scotland so that Westray-born people who have moved away can still be tested for the variant.
She added: “I’m really proud that the Trust has stepped up to help financially because I think it’s a really important thing.
“We’ve got four staff in the office here, and three out of the four have Westray-born grandparents – and it’s not just us.
“This money will hopefully mean they can do testing here but also use future funds to do testing throughout Scotland which means that people who have moved away can still do a test.”
The pilot screening programme is expected to begin in autumn.
For more information visit www.nhsgrampian.org/BRCA1
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