500 signatures reached
To: Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill
Mandate Breast Density Reporting for All Irish Women
In Ireland, women are not routinely informed whether they have dense or non-dense breasts after a mammogram - despite the fact that dense breast tissue makes cancer harder to detect and significantly increases the risk of developing it. This lack of transparency is putting lives at risk, and it must change.
We are calling on Minister for Health, Dr. Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, to introduce a Breast Density Notification Law that ensures:
- All women are clearly informed whether they have non-dense or dense breasts after a mammogram.
- Clear guidance is provided on what their breast density means and any additional screening options, such as ultrasound or MRI.
- GPs receive this information so they can properly advise their patients.
This simple yet life-saving change can lead to earlier detection, better outcomes, and fewer women receiving devastating, advanced-stage cancer diagnoses.
Why is this important?
Every year, thousands of women in Ireland undergo mammograms through BreastCheck, trusting the results they receive. But for the 43% of these women with dense breasts, a "clear" mammogram does not necessarily mean they are cancer-free.
- Up to 50% of cancers in dense breasts go undetected on mammograms because both cancer and dense tissue appear white, making tumours almost impossible to see. As a result, 1 in every 2 Irish women with dense breasts may have their cancer missed.
- Women with dense breasts are 4-6 times more likely to develop breast cancer than those with lower density.
- Breast density is a stronger risk factor than having a family history of breast cancer, yet women in Ireland are not informed about it.
- Breast density can only be detected via a mammogram - it is not something a woman can feel.
- Despite the serious implications of breast density, Ireland does not inform women whether they have non-dense or dense breasts. This leaves many unaware of their potential increased risk and the need for additional screening, such as ultrasound or MRI.
Other countries, including the United States, Canada, France, and Australia, already notify women of their breast density, ensuring they have the information they need to advocate for their health. Irish women deserve the same.
Breast density is categorised into four groups:
Breast density is categorised into four groups:
- A (Mostly Fatty) and B (Scattered Fibroglandular Tissue): These are considered non-dense breasts, where cancer is generally easier to detect on a mammogram.
- C (Heterogeneously Dense) and D (Extremely Dense): These are classified as dense breasts, which can make it harder to detect cancer, and also increase the risk of developing it.
Women deserve to be informed whether they have dense or non-dense breasts so they can seek appropriate screening if needed.
A major European study (D.E.N.S.E. Trial, Netherlands) has led to new EUSOBI (European Society of Breast Imaging) recommendations, stating:
- All women should be informed of their breast density
- Women with extremely dense breasts should receive additional screening with MRI
👉 Read the study: EUSOBI Recommendations
This is a global issue, but Ireland has the opportunity to take the lead. We need to demand transparency and better screening for all women.
This is a global issue, but Ireland has the opportunity to take the lead. We need to demand transparency and better screening for all women.
📖 Learn More About Breast Density
To read more about why breast density matters and how it affects breast cancer detection, please read this in-depth piece on Her.ie that explores the science, the risks, and the urgent need for policy change. Read it here.
A Call to the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC)
We also call on the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) to urgently evaluate the inclusion of breast density reporting within Ireland's BreastCheck program.
Currently, BreastCheck does not collect or report breast density information, leaving many women unaware of the risks associated with dense breast tissue. It’s crucial that NSAC acknowledges the need for change and works toward a systematic notification protocol for breast density.
By doing so, the NSAC can help ensure that women with dense breasts are informed about their density and offered additional screening, such as MRI or ultrasound, in line with international recommendations from the European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI).
This step will allow women to make informed decisions about their health and reduce the risk of undetected cancers.
This step will allow women to make informed decisions about their health and reduce the risk of undetected cancers.
My Personal Story
I know firsthand how devastating this lack of information can be. My amazing mum, Marian Lovett, always attended her routine BreastCheck screenings and was given a clear result in 2022. She had no reason to worry, but just a year later, she was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer- a terminal diagnosis.
She later learned that her dense breast tissue likely masked the tumour on her mammogram, meaning her cancer could have been missed in previous scans. She was never informed about her breast density, never advised to seek additional screening, and never given the chance to detect her cancer earlier.
My mother passed away in August 2024, taken far too soon. She was deeply frustrated that this critical information had been withheld from her, and she wasn’t alone - so many women have faced the same devastating reality. That’s why I am fighting for change on her behalf.
📖 Read More About My Mum’s Story
I share my mum’s story in an article on Her.ie, highlighting how a lack of breast density notification contributed to her late-stage diagnosis. Read it here.
A Collaborative Effort for Change
I share my mum’s story in an article on Her.ie, highlighting how a lack of breast density notification contributed to her late-stage diagnosis. Read it here.
A Collaborative Effort for Change
This petition is launched in collaboration with Siobhán Freeney, a dedicated patient advocate and founder of BeingDense.com, Ireland’s leading resource on breast density awareness. Siobhán has tirelessly campaigned for transparency in breast screening after her own cancer was missed due to extremely dense breasts - something she was never informed about. Her experience, like my mother’s and so many others, has driven her to fight for mandatory breast density notification so women can access essential screenings before it’s too late.
Through BeingDense, Siobhán has worked to educate women, raise awareness among healthcare professionals, and push for policy change at the highest levels. While this petition focuses on improving breast screening policy in Ireland, it is also part of a global movement to ensure better breast cancer detection and prevention.
Siobhán has also launched her own petition on Change.org, calling for similar action. By signing both petitions, you can strengthen the case for change and help ensure that all women receive the information they need.
Women in Ireland deserve access to all the information about their own health - just as women in other countries already receive. Join us in demanding that Ireland finally listens. Sign our petition now to help ensure no more women are left in the dark about their breast health.
How it will be delivered
Once we have public support, we will present this petition to Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and the NSAC, urging mandatory breast density notification. We will engage with key decision-makers, TD's, and Senators to push for legislative action. Through media, advocacy, and direct engagement, we will ensure this issue is debated and acted upon at the highest levels until real change happens.