A NEW conference about women and cancer is being staged in Blackburn today.

The event aims to raise awareness about cancer prevention through screening and healthy eating, and make people aware of local service provision.

It has been funded by Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust supported by the council's lifelong learning department, and the Community and Voluntary Service.

Four local women's groups have also been involved - Audley and Queen's Park women's NLP (neighbourhood learning planning) group, Our Zindagi NLP from Audley and Queen's Park, the Milan Ladies group from the Bangor Street area of Blackburn and Lower Darwen NLP group.

The event will be opened by the mayor of Blackburn Coun Maureen McGarvey, at Jan's Conference Centre in Higher Audley Street.

Damyanti Patel, Macmillan's national network development co-ordinator for black and minority ethnic communities will chair the event and Pauline Robinson, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust's lead cancer nurse will speak.

Women in Drama will perform a drama session and there will be workshops on cancer prevention, treatment and screening as well as stories from women affected by cancer.

Local district nurses will offer health checks.

The free event runs from 9.30am to 3.15pm, with lunch and refreshments.

For details call Lynette Banister on 01254 585391 or 07736 028860, Shahida Hanif on 01254 282017 or Lin Cutforth on 01254660186.