A 10-YEAR wait by Clare women for the free cancer screening service is to end next Monday with BreastCheck becoming available in Ennis.
A spokesman for the service said this meant that BreastCheck was now available in every county in the State.
There are four permanent screening sites – two in Dublin, one in Cork and in Galway – and 16 mobile units which serve the rest of the State on a two-year rotation.
Units are screening in parts of Cavan, Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Donegal, Kildare, Kilkenny, Limerick, Mayo, Monaghan, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow.
The move to finally provide BreastCheck in Clare comes after misdiagnosis cases and considerable political controversy.
Eugene O’Kelly, solicitor for the late Co Clare breast cancer misdiagnosis victim Edel Kelly (26), said yesterday: “While I am delighted that the early detection BreastCheck service has eventually come to Clare, it is of very little comfort to the families who have been affected and bereaved by the absence of such a service in Clare and its arrival is unfortunately much too late for them.”
The Kilrush mother of two died in June 2008 after Ennis General Hospital failed to diagnose her with breast cancer in 2006.
Ms Kelly was one of two misdiagnosis cases that were confirmed at Ennis General – a second involved Ann Moriarty (53), who died in April 2008.