Julie Haines' petition asks government to make breast density reporting mandatory and for there to be funded alternative imaging for women with dense breasts. You can sign Sign Julie’s petition here.
Julie is making the most of election time to speak out about this issue. Read more about her experience and her campaign here.
BCAC has long advocated for this, as high density not only masks cancer on mammograms but is a risk factor for breast cancer in its own right. About 8 to 10% of women have extremely dense breasts. Mammograms alone can miss their cancers. Ultrasounds and more frequent screening are needed as well, but these are not offered by BreastScreen Aotearoa which does not currently inform women of their breast density.
Other women are also speaking out about breast density. You can read Catherine and Fay’s stories here.
You can learn more about breast density here and here.
27 October 2026
