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S2- Episode 1 – Meet Dr Deirdre Duke and Olivia Carpenter

Consultant Radiologist, Dr Deirdre Duke and Outreach Coordinator and breast cancer survivor Olivia Carpenter speak to Aisling about the early stages of diagnosis, in terms of the interactions with the triage and assessment teams.
Soon after she completed a ten-kilometre charity run, Olivia’s husband, Gavin, gave her a big hug. As he held her close, he felt a lump in her right breast. He became alarmed and suggested that she get it medically checked. There began a journey for the Mum of three. A journey that brought her into contact with a host of medical professionals and ultimately to us here in Breast Cancer Ireland where she has been an active Ambassador and Outreach Coordinator visiting schools , companies and community groups sharing important messages about understanding good breast health.
Dr Duke shares her own reflections on how she prepares to tell women that they have breast cancer, she shares an update on the fantastic new Beaumont Breast Centre which was recently opened by First Lady, Sabina O’Higgins and she explains exactly what this centre will mean for the over 10,000 women who will be seen there annually.
This episode is proudly supported by Goodbody.

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Episode 10 – Meet Teresa Costello

In this final episode of Season 1, Aisling speaks with Teresa Costello, a breast cancer survivor, whose initial symptoms of breast cancer were more than a lump. The orange peel-like rash on her breast was one of the tell-tale signs her consultant pointed out to her, when the then 36-year-old, was examined in the Breast Clinic. The conversation focuses on how being diagnosed with breast cancer has utterly changed the direction of Teresa’s life and how her involvement with Breast Cancer Ireland as a Patient Ambassador for the past eight years, helping to raise vital funds to support pioneering research, has made an impact.

Teresa then turns the table and asks Aisling a few questions on what’s coming up for Breast Cancer Ireland over the summer and into the future. Aisling shares details of the charity’s education and awareness programmes, being the beneficiary of the 100k in 30days challenge organised by Niall Carroll and Cara McAdam from Blackrock, Co Louth, taking place this June, the plans for the Great Pink Run coming back in October after two years as a virtual event, and significantly how further investment into research and clinical trials will change the landscape of the disease in Ireland.

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Episode 9 – Meet Dr Monica Peres

Dr Monica Peres is a GP based in Cork. She has an impressive 52k followers on TikTok and 64k followers on Instagram, where she gives health advice to her followers. In this episode, Dr Monica speaks to Aisling about some of the barriers women face in relation to checking their breasts regularly. She talks about what the most common ‘misconceptions’ about breast cancer are, in her experience, and why the disease might not always present as a lump.

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Episode 8 – Meet Demmy Adebayo

Demmy Abedayo was just 41 years of age when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, early last year, six months after she first found a lump in her right breast. Following four months of chemotherapy, 16 sessions of radiotherapy, and with reconstructive surgery planned over the coming weeks, Demmy joins Aisling for this episode to share important messages around good breast health, particularly amongst women in the African community in Ireland. She talks about trusting science, leaning on the support of family and friends and taking ownership of our bodies, regularly checking ourselves for the signs and symptoms.

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Episode 7 – Meet Jamie Martin Smith

In this episode, Aisling talks to Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Jamie Martin-Smith about his career choice, running the general plastics clinic at Beaumont Hospital and managing the full spectrum of plastic surgical cases, as well as a dedicated reconstructive breast surgery clinic. He answers some of the questions that women in the Breast Cancer Ireland community ask in relation to how long they should wait for reconstruction following treatment, how to physically prepare for breast reconstruction surgery and how to deal with the after effects.

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Episode 6 – Meet Georgie and Siobhan

Georgie Crawford was due to return to work at the end of her maternity leave and only 31 years of age, when she first discovered a lump in her breast. Shortly afterwards she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

In those early days, weeks and months, as the impact of her diagnosis began to hit her, Georgie turned to the people in her life that she loved the most and who loved her. In particular her husband Jamie and her Mum Siobhan. Together they steadied her, put their loving arms around her and nurtured her back to health.

Now an ambassador for Breast Cancer Ireland, Georgie and Siobhan join Aisling to reflect on the past five years, the highs and the lows, and share with our listeners how finding that lump has utterly changed both of their lives, in so many ways

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