Madam, – As the daughter and granddaughter of women who died from breast cancer, I am horrified to read your report on Prof Tom Keane’s contribution to the Oireachtas health committee (Home News, October 22nd). He seems to be saying that many women referred to breast cancer centres were “just” worried about vague symptoms of breast pain or anxious about the possibility of having breast cancer. I was also shocked to read in the same article Fine Gael’s health spokesman Dr James Reilly telling the committee he would not expose himself to legal action by not referring a patient to a symptomatic breast cancer centre if she had breast pain. Neither of these comments, both by men, inspire me with confidence. One does not want anxious women clogging up his cancer centres, the other is only concerned with possible legal action.
Both, to my mind, ignore women’s emotions around their fear of perhaps having breast cancer.
Frankly, I don’t care how inconvenient or uncomfortable it is for some male doctors to deal with anxious women – when it comes to breast checks, only the best checks are good enough. – Yours, etc,