Marking International Women’s Day, Breast Cancer Ireland has called on Irish women to prioritise good breast health.
As it stands, one in nine women will be affected in their lifetime and 3,100 new cases are diagnosed annually. However, there are warning signs which will help lead to early detection and treatment.
BCI is inviting women to download its free Breast Aware educational app, which helps women – through a monthly reminder and a simulated video guide – to perform a self-breast check exam properly highlighting the eight signs and symptoms to look out for.
These include; a lump in breast or armpit; change in skin around nipple or nipple discharge; dimpling of the nipple or nipple retraction; unusual increase in the size of one breast; one breast unusually lower than the other – nipples at different levels; enlargement of the glands; unusual swelling in the armpit.
Breast Cancer Ireland is also calling on those tasked with minding our women (teachers, community groups and HR teams) to consider booking a visit by the charity’s outreach team for this complimentary service.
Over the past three years, BCI has presented to over 5,000 Transition Year students and their teachers in secondary schools around Ireland.
This year, with the backing of leading insurance firm, Cornmarket Group Financial Services, funding for two additional outreach coordinators was facilitated.
The Breast Health Education and Awareness Programme was extended at the start of the academic year with the aim of including visits to every primary school in the country.
So what happens?
A team of six outreach nurses and coordinators travel throughout Ireland, educating teachers and support staff on how to perform a self-breast examination and highlight, for women and for men, the signs and symptoms to recognise, using a specially adapted medical mannequin.
Understanding the signs and symptoms leads to earlier detection and ultimately better survival outcome. Cornmarket has been working with Breast Cancer Ireland for the past three years and found through their research that a large percentage of claims related to cancer, in particular to breast cancer, and therefore teamed up with Breast Cancer Ireland and INTO for this latest extension to the outreach project.
CEO of Breast Cancer Ireland, Aisling Hurley comments, “On this International Women’s Day we aim to educate women and men to understand the signs and symptoms of breast cancer so that if an abnormality arises, they’ll detect it a lot quicker – ultimately lives will be saved and lives will be lived and our fabulous Irish women will thrive.”
To download the Breast Aware App or to book an appointment by the BCI Outreach Team, please visit www.breastcancerireland.com
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