Your Breast Density Matters
http://www.Beingdense.com is an Irish Patient Advocacy established by Lobular Breast Cancer patient, Siobhán Freeney who lives in County Wexford on the East coast of Ireland.
Improved screening methods for women with dense breasts are needed because of their increased risk of breast cancer and of failed early diagnosis by screening mammography.
https://beingdense.com/2020/07/10/be-the-change-you-wish-to-see-in-the-world/
Radiologists say they could not see a large Cancer tumour (approx 3.5cm) on my Mammogram because I was ‘unfortunate’ to have Extremely Dense Breasts.
I was unfortunate, really unfortunate because those who knew about my Breast tissue composition did not share potentially life saving information with me. I had to wait 13 years to hear about my Breast Density
They waited until after I had been Diagnosed with Stage 3c Breast Cancer and had a Mastectomy before they told me.
I trusted my bi-annual Mammogram. I believed the Letters that came from BreastCheck, telling me my Screening Mammogram was CLEAR.
I had no way of knowing that my Breast tissue was Very Dense or that a slow growing tumour had been missed because Radiologists couldn’t ‘see’ it and failed to tell me or re-call me for a Breast Ultrasound or a Clinical Breast Exam.
Women who have Dense Breasts have a more increased risk of developing Breast Cancer and the reliability of Mammogram screening is significantly reduced in Dense Tissue.
Early Detection is one of the key objectives underpinning our National Breast Cancer Screening http://www.BreastCheck.ie
There is little point telling a woman her Mammogram is clear when it cannot be reliably interpreted. I wasn’t informed about the risk. The Radiologists knew and failed to advise or re-call me for an Ultrasound or Clinical breast exam, which would have identified the presence of the Tumour. Had that happened I would not have had to have Chemotherapy or Radiotherapy.
If only….
Being Dense 