Irish Cancer Society holds Breast Cancer Conference

The Irish Cancer Society held its free annual conference ‘Supporting People with Breast Cancer’ at Dublin Castle Conference Centre on Saturday (September 29th).

Almost 200 women and men who have been through a breast cancer diagnosis attended the day-long conference, where they heard from experts on advances in breast cancer treatments and updates on clinical trials and breast reconstruction. Afternoon workshops explored issues relating to survivorship, sexuality, diet and exercise, menopause, lymphodema (a common side effect of breast cancer surgery) and mindfulness, amongst other topics. Tailored sessions will be held specifically for women under 45 and for those with a secondary breast cancer diagnosis. The secondary breast cancer workshops are kindly supported by Novartis Oncology. Key speakers at the conference included Dr Janice Walshe, Consultant Medical Oncologist, St. Vincent’s University Hospital and Tallaght Hospital; Ms Jane Rothwell, Consultant Breast Surgeon, St. Vincent’s University Hospital; Deirdre McDonnell, Oncology Research Nurse; Dee McKiernan, Counselling Psychologist, St. Vincent’s University Hospital and Aoife Gorham, Senior Dietician, Mater Hospital.  This free conference was hosted by Action Breast Cancer, a programme of the Irish Cancer Society, in association with Reach to Recovery. Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in women in Ireland and women have a 1 in 10 chance of developing breast cancer during the course of their lifetime.The latest data from the NCRI shows that 2,724 people were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 (2,696 new cases in females and 28 cases in males). The Irish Cancer Society, through Action Breast Cancer, is the leading provider of breast cancer support in Ireland.  Each year we reach over 25,000 women who are concerned about breast cancer or breast health. Reach to Recovery is the Society’s Peer to Peer Support Programme for women diagnosed with breast cancer. Reach to Recovery volunteers provide emotional and practical support nationwide. For further information, advice and support on any aspect of breast health or breast cancer, visit our breast cancer information pages or call the National Cancer Helpline on Freefone on 1800 200 700.