JUNE has been designated as National Osteoporosis Month - and what better way to show your support for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of this fragile bone disease than by supporting the Yeovil Express' FAST Appeal on behalf of Yeovil District Hospital.

The hospital's award-winning Somerset Osteoporosis Service team desperately needs a new £65,000 scanner to help diagnose osteoporosis before patients suffer from the pain of bones breaking.

They already have £45,000 towards the target, but are struggling with the final £20,000 and that is where, we hope, Yeovil Express readers will come up trumps.

The number of people suffering fractures because of osteoporosis is reaching record levels. Recent figures show that broken bones due to osteoporosis have risen to more than 300,000 a year or 800 daily - that is an increase from one every three minutes to one every two minutes in the United Kingdom.

One in three women and one in 12 men over the age of 50 will develop osteoporosis. Without treatment, osteoporosis can cause painful and disabling fractures particularly in the wrist, hip and spine.

Express chief reporter Steve Sowden said: "Until I got involved with the hospital about launching the FAST Appeal I did not realise how widespread osteoporosis is.

"I hope that Express readers will not let us down with the raising of the money for the new scanner the bone density unit at the hospital needs - you might need to have a scan yourself one day. Every penny will count.

"Express readers have been excellent in the past. Thousands of you supported our campaign to improve dental facilities in the area and it looks as if positive things are in the pipeline on that front. We are still getting an avalanche of aluminium cans and foil from you in support of the We Can Do It appeal we launched at the beginning of the year with recycling in aid of two local charities. Now we are asking you again to support us with the FAST Appeal and I am confident you will."

If you would like to help with the Yeovil Express' FAST Appeal then please contact Yeovil District Hospital's corporate services director Mel Hillman on 01935-475122 or e-mail him at ask@est.nhs.uk.

Alternatively, you can phone the Yeovil Express on 01935-479811. We would be more than willing to give you publicity about any fundraising event you might be planning.