Petition to Retain BreastCheck Screening Services in County Clare

We, the undersigned, call on BreastCheck and the Department of Health to retain the BreastCheck mobile screening unit in County Clare, which is due to leave the county on 30 October 2026.

Should the mobile screening unit leave County Clare, we call for the provision of a dedicated BreastCheck screening unit for the county to ensure that women in Clare continue to have accessible and convenient access to breast cancer screening.

The removal of the mobile unit would mean that many women will have to face long journeys to alternative screening locations in Limerick, Galway or Nenagh, resulting in additional travel costs, inconvenience and potential difficulties for women who may have limited access to transport.
Women in Co. Clare should not be disadvantaged by where they live. Access to vital breast cancer screening services should be as accessible as possible, regardless of location or financial circumstances. The statistics speak for themselves. According to the National Cancer Registry Ireland, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Ireland, with more than 3,000 cases diagnosed every year. In Co. Clare we have the fifth-lowest breast cancer survival rate nationwide. The early detection of this disease through screening programs like BreastCheck is vital, greatly increasing survival rates and reducing treatment complexities. Now, the removal of the mobile screening unit threatens this crucial service and puts womens lives at risk.

We therefore ask BreastCheck and the Department of Health to ensure that women in County Clare continue to have reliable, accessible and locally available breast cancer screening services.  We ask that action be taken to protect access to this essential healthcare service for the women of Clare. Keep the Breast Check mobile unit in Co. Clare and help save lives.