Pink October 2026: giving women a voice and highlighting the importance of breast cancer screening

To mark Pink October, the international breast cancer awareness month, the Ministry of Health and Social Security and the Health Directorate are launching a new campaign to highlight the importance of organised screening. This year, the campaign features eight women aged between 41 and 74, who share their experiences of having a mammogram.

Eight women, eight stories

Through a series of videos and posters displayed across Luxembourg, the eight women describe, in their own words, their experiences, concerns, motivations and the importance screening now holds for them.

By giving a voice to those directly concerned, the campaign aims to remind people that behind every mammogram is a woman and her story. These personal accounts aim to encourage eligible women to take part in the Mammography Programme, which can detect breast cancer at an early stage, when treatment options and chances of recovery are greatest.

“Early detection gives women the best chance of recovery. Through this campaign, we also want to give women a voice and remind people that their experiences deserve to be heard,” says Martine Deprez, Minister of Health and Social Security.

Results that confirm the programme’s effectiveness

An evaluation of Luxembourg’s organised breast cancer screening programme, carried out in cooperation with the National Cancer Registry, has shown encouraging results. In 2025, 26,131 mammograms were performed as part of the Mammography Programme. Of these, 2,304 required additional examinations and 146 resulted in a confirmed diagnosis of cancer.

The systematic double reading of the images by two independent radiologists improves the reliability of screening and increases the likelihood of detecting an abnormality at an early stage.

In Luxembourg, the Mammography Programme is open to women aged between 45 and 74 who are resident in Luxembourg or work in Luxembourg as cross-border workers and are affiliated with the Luxembourg social security system at the time of the examination. It entitles them to a mammogram every two years, fully covered by social security, with no upfront payment required. Coverage under the programme is subject to valid affiliation with the Luxembourg social security system on the date of the examination.

Non-resident women affiliated with the Luxembourg social security system can also take part in the programme by contacting the Screening Programmes Coordination Centre directly on (+352) 247-75550 or by email at mammographie@ms.etat.lu.

Awareness-raising activities across the country

Throughout October, teams from the Health Directorate will meet members of the public at information stands set up in several hospitals, shopping centres and markets across the country.

The teams will answer questions from the public, explain how the Mammography Programme works and distribute information material. These activities are organised in cooperation with partners involved in the fight against breast cancer, including Fondation Cancer, Europa Donna Luxembourg and Think Pink Luxembourg.

Press release by the Ministry of Health and Social Security