Siobhan Freeney, Founder of the Lobular Ireland, shared on LinkedIn:
“Seen but not shared…
Have we learned nothing from the Cervical Check Debacle Womens Health.
On October 13th Houses of the Oireachtas heard harrowing personal accounts from numerous Women as to how their Mammograms failed to detect node positive Invasive Breast Tumours, ranging from 4cm up to 12cm in size.
Some of the Women are living with incurable Breast Cancer because no one told them they had Dense Breasts until after they were given a Breast Cancer Diagnosis.
These Women were robbed of the opportunity for Early Detection, to have informed conversations, to engage in shared decision-making about their own Breast Health.
Their Breast Density Information was available from all of their prior Mammograms, the Radiological finding was seen, but it was not shared with them.
The ask from Women in Ireland is simple.
‘Stop sending mixed messages, you are playing with our lives’
A Clear Result is only Half the Picture and an Incomplete Mammogram Result to give to a Woman who has Dense Breasts. Radiologists can see almost at a glance if a Woman has Dense or Non Dense Breasts.
Mixed messaging from the HSE and ‘big buts’ from National Screening Service, HSE Dr. Alan Smith (public health consultant advisor)
- ‘Essentially IF you are someone with Dense Breasts a Screening Mammogram may be less effective for you. You can’t tell how dense your breasts are by looking at them or by feeling them. Dense breast tissue appears white on a mammogram.’
- ‘But, and here’s the big but. Cancer also appears white on a mammogram. This can make it more difficult to spot breast cancer in the mammogram of women with dense breasts. So essentially if you are someone with dense breasts a screening mammogram may be less effective for you’ (HSE 2023)
A letter from National Screening Service CEO Fiona Murphy
‘It is important to note that Mammograms continue to be effective for Breast Cancer Screening in Women with Dense Breasts’ (HSE 2026)
HSE Breast Clinic
‘Mammography detects Cancers, even in the Densest of Breasts’
(Galway 2026)
For several weeks now Kieran Cuddihy Liveline RTE has captured the Voices and Lived Experiences from Women across Ireland. They want the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD to hear them, meet with them. Legislation for Mandatory, Standardised Breast Density Reporting for all Women who have Mammograms in Ireland (Public and Private) is needed now.
No Woman should have to wait until after a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer to find out that she had Mammographically Dense Breasts.”
You can also read:
Miriam Mutebi: Advancing Women’s Health Through Stronger Policies and Health Systems
