From the HSE website:
Breast screening helps find cancer at an early stage. If it’s found early, it’s easier to treat and there’s a better chance of recovery.
Breast screening involves having a mammogram of your breasts at a BreastCheck clinic or mobile screening unit. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast used to find breast cancer when it is too small to see or feel.
You'll get a letter with your breast screening results within 3 weeks after your mammogram. The results will also be sent to your GP.
You will become eligible for breast screening once you reach the age of 50.
Boob Lump Scare!
Post 1) from a mid-40's woman on our group who has recently gone through a Breast lump scare and how it was handled.
The reason for sharing this info is to make aware how things are different in Ireland to SA. This member does not have a medical card nor private medical.
She noticed 2 lumps in her breast late September.
Went to her GP who discovered several more lumps, and agreed and referred her to the Breast clinic in Cork University Hospital. A letter arrived at her home along with a booklet. The booklet covered all the information about the procedures, how to dress on the day, what to expect and explained everything. It was highly informative and helped to settle her mind.
The letter explained to make certain she was to put aside the entire day of the appointment should all the procedures be required.
From GP to hospital appointment was a 3week wait.
The appointments are given based on urgency and has no relevance to private medical or medical cards or neither.
Patients are seen within 2 weeks if urgent, 3-8 weeks if semi urgent and 12 weeks if a regular scan. This is explained in the letter and booklet.
First thing was an appointment with a Breast Surgeon Specialist who did a thorough examination and consultation.
Then a mammogram and or ultrasound.
Based on the findings from that a biopsy and or aspiration and bloods may be taken.
This particular lady had all procedures except for a biopsy which wasnt required within 2hrs.
The hospital was clean, it is a special section of the hospital where patients are made to feel welcome and informed.
The other most important part was this particular set of procedures was completely free of charge.
All results from the day are sent to the GP within 7-10 days
After receiving the results, there were further anomalies which on second mammogram and ultrasound.
Results again were sent to the Gp in 7 days.
Luckily all clear, but this lady will now be called in for regular check-ups despite her age. Sadly since then, Covid occurred which has now put some delays on the regular appointments
Potential Breast cancer and mastectomy
Post 2) from a early-40's woman on our group
Back-ground:
To date, on my mother's side of my family, I have lost 8 extended family members due to various cancers. My mum, her sister(my aunt) and my ouma(their mum) all started with breast cancer, and eventually died as the result of a secondary kind of cancer. I have a niece who is currently fighting leukemia, so when I say cancer runs in the family, it really does.
My risk factor for breast cancer is 95% so essentially it's not a case of if, it's a case of when.
Fast forward to 2020:
My mum got cancer again last year, she was formally diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer that had already spread to her liver, her ovaries, and her heart. Palliative care was the option treatment that was discussed. 14 weeks later she was dead. It was a serious wake up call for me. So I discussed with my GP about how to get into the system to have a risk-reducing double mastectomy.
She wrote a referral letter, giving me the choice to go to Galway or Letterkenny, I chose Letterkenny as it's only an 1.5 drive from where I stay as opposed to a 3 hour drive to Galway. From the time they received the referral it was about three months. I received a letter in the post with an appointment day and time.
There was also a brochure detailing what would happen:
- I would see the consultant, he would decide if I needed a mammogram or not.
- Have a mammogram.
- If they find anything that they are not happy with, in the mammogram, then they would do a biopsy there and then as well.
- The brochure also said to bank on around two hours for the visit.
- They also warn you to please wear a top and bottom outfit as you will have to take the top off.
- They also suggest you bring a book, thankfully I had a fully charged phone and my kindle.
Great! I have my foot in the door. My husband insisted on coming with me, even though he wouldn't be able to come in, and I told him he didn't need to as it was just a routine check up?
In retrospect I am extremely glad he did. After 4.5 hours and leaving knowing there was a possibility I may have cancer, I was wrecked, I cried myself to sleep in the car afterwards, while he drove home.
When I arrived I was ticked off on the list, taken to a small room where a nurse did a questionnaire with me, then and showed me to a large waiting room, they have free tea and coffee for the patients. After about 15 minutes I was shown to a changing where I was given a locker with a key for my belongings and clothes, I was given an enormous pink poncho styled hospital 'gown' none of that stupid front opening crap, it covers everything and you can sort of wrap it around yourself so you don't get cold.
From there I was shown to a consultants room. I was asked if it would be alright if there were medical students (two young female doctors) observing, I gave my consent. The consultant did a risk factor assessment with me, then got one of the female doctors to put me on the bed and take off the poncho so he could examine my breasts, I have extremely dense breasts which are also NOT in my favour. He said he wanted me to have a mammogram and then we would chat more afterwards.
From there I went down a short walk to the other end of the corridor where I waited for my mammogram. This was done by a female radiographer, afterwards she directed me back to the general waiting room and said she would call me to give me my results and then I could go back to the consultant. I waited quite a while, when they called me back and directed me to the sonar room. This is when they told me they need to do a biospy.
I was devastated.
They found a lump deep in my right breast.
This was done by a VERY competent female doctor, I won't lie it wasn't pleasant, she put in three biopsy needles and let me tell you they are HUGE, they contain a claw that comes out to grab tissue, so they actually make an incision in the breast before they insert the needle, but they do give you a local anesthetic.
From there I had to have another mammogram to check that they had gotten the right tissue. I shed a few tears during the second mammogram, and the radiographer was so sweet and so comforting, kept calling me pet (I apparently look and sound a lot younger than I am) from there I was directed straight back to the consultants room. He then explained if the results were positive I would come back to him to discuss a course of action as soon as they had the results, if it was negative, I would be referred to a geneticist for a consult, he would determine whether an oral chemo for the rest of my life or a risk reducing surgery would be the right course of action.
So things to note with this experience:
1. I only saw two males the entire time I was there. They deliberately attempt to only hire women where possible to make their patients more comfortable.
2. EVERY single person there were the nicest, kindest people ever, they couldn't have been more lovely.
3. I was warned the consultant didn't have a very good bedside manner, I found him quite forthright but gentle and kind. They all spoke directly to me, not down to me. Everyone checked in on all us ladies, making sure we knew where the bathrooms were, had we had a cup of coffee or tea, were we alright, etc, etc.
4. I was expecting a massive bill, but they booked me in as an in-patient, so for everything that I was done I only paid 80e, I know normally a mammogram can cost upwards in the region of 180e and I shudder to think what the biopsy might have cost.
All this was done PUBLICLY, as a public patient. I still get a little teary when I think of how well I was treated as a public patient, it is incredible living here.
The results were negative for cancer!!
BUT...
Next Steps:
I have chosen to go for an elective double mastectomy.
I now wait for my appointment with the geneticist in the Mater Private in Dublin.
I have elected to go private, so I'll be paying for this one, as he is one of two people in the whole of Ireland who can see me and if I wait publicly, I will wait a year.
From there, I will hopefully be going back to Letterkenny for a risk-reducing (life saving, I think it should be called) double mastectomy, so hopefully I'll be able to write that story for you ladies later this year.
Important links:
We have asked our members to share anonymously, their personal experiences of the Irish medical system. The medical system here is very different to SA and may for some be a major part of their move and how their current or furture health issues may be handled.
#MapMyMove- Our coaching Services - Confused or lost and need some direction, book a session with us to help untangle the confusion and work out your route of immigration
Medical in Ireland - Medical in Ireland, how it works, where to get assistance, Maternity and Private medical
Habitual Residence, Means Testing, Benefits, Permanent residency and Naturalisation - What is Habitual Residence, Means Testing, Benefits, Permanent residency and Naturalisation
If you have a story to share please email us a blog at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
More on Breast screening here: https://www2.hse.ie/services/breast-screening/breast-screening-overview/breast-screening-information.html
