Fine Gael TD for Dun Laoghaire, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, will tomorrow (Wednesday) host a breakfast in Leinster House to mark Breast Health Day 2015.

“Tomorrow morning’s breakfast, in co-operation with Europa Donna Ireland and Coviden, is an opportunity to highlight the issue of breast cancer: how far we have come in fighting it, and how far we still need to go.

“The breakfast will be addressed by Aileen O’Toole who has survived breast cancer. Aileen is the Managing Director of the Irish consultancy group AMAS Ltd, and co-founder of The Sunday Business Post newspaper. She will talk about advancements required in terms of treatment and care. In particular Aileen will focus on lymphoedema and the much needed awareness and services required for this condition.

“Breast cancer survival in Ireland has improved significantly in recent years. Screenings are very important to women’s health as early detection is key in the battle against breast cancer. According to the Irish Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the country and is most commonly found in those over the age of 50.

“The Breast Check programme provides free mammograms and a recall program to all eligible women aged 50-69 years. I would urge all women in this age bracket to avail of this vital service. The extension of the scheme to women aged between 65 and 69 this year demonstrates the Government’s commitment to women’s health and will greatly contribute to more early detections of the disease.

“I passionately believe that we must do all we can to prevent this disease in as many instances as possible. I am proud to give my time and effort to this cause and I thank all of my colleagues in Leinster House for their support for tomorrow’s event.”