The new premises of the breast care support group Europa Donna, in St Anne Street, Floriana, were inaugurated this afternoon by Lands and Health ministers Jason Azzopardi and Joseph Cassar, respectively.

The group, which has been helping victims for the past 24 years, is leasing its premises from the government for €100 a year.

President Gertrude Abela, herself a breast cancer survivor, said the group will be sponsoring the specialisation of two nurses in breast care at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

The nurses, breast cancer survivor Doris Fenech and Anna Catania are leaving Malta on Sunday.

Dr Azzopardi said 212 properties were passed on to non-governmental organisations and 147 tracts of land to sports organisations, during this legislature.

Dr Cassar praised the NGO for consistently seeking to keep the patients at the centre of its work.

Mater Dei Breast Care Unit nursing officer Antoinette Attard said that at the moment, there were only three nurses specialised in breast care at the unit.

She said that 250 to 300 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year.