Louth senator kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness Month at Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Louth Senator McGreehan is working to raise awareness of the importance of self-checking and for women and men to know their own normal.

According to the Marie Keating Foundation every year around 3,542 cases are diagnosed and 760 die from the disease in Ireland. with 34 men in Ireland being diagnosed with breast cancer each year it is important to highlight it is not a women only issue.  

Breast cancer is most common in women from 50 years onwards but it can be diagnosed at a younger age, with 1 in 7 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

Senator McGreehan, who is working along with Fianna Fáil Cllr Teresa Costello who is herself a Breast Cancer survivor, are campaigning for increased awareness, increased resources for BRCA Gene investigation and an expansion of the Breast Check Screening.

McGreehan says that is so important that both “men and women take time this month to learn to care for your breasts. I want people to be empowered to know how to check yourself. We all must remember that early detection of cancer is vital to a healthy recovery.”

Senator McGreehan and Cllr Costello had an awareness stand at the recent Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis, with demonstrations from a cancer nurse expert on how to check for abnormalities.

They also launched their leaflet highlighting the risk factors, ways to reduce your risk for breast cancer and breast cancer symptoms.