Irish Cancer Society offering free health checks in Mullingar

The Irish Cancer Society are offering free health checks in Harbour Place Shopping Centre, Mullingar next week. As part of the ‘Your Health Matters’ Roadshow, nurses will administer checks to the public from 9am to 6pm on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 November, free of charge.

The health check is a free walk-in service. It will include a blood pressure check, body mass index (BMI) and carbon monoxide (CO) reading and information on cancer prevention, screening and ways to help spot the early signs of cancer.

Each health check will take approximately 15 minutes and a referral for a GP can also be arranged where further help is required.

Early detection and diagnosis of cancer are essential to improve health outcomes. When cancer is diagnosed early, it can improve the quality of life of those living with cancer, increase survival and reduce the severity of treatment.

Many patients find it difficult to or do not attend GP visits even when they are experiencing potential cancer symptoms. The ‘Your Health Matters’ Roadshow initiative seeks to change that by promoting positive lifestyle changes, increasing awareness of cancer symptoms, and improving medical care-seeking behaviour for the early signs of cancer.

In 2022, the roadshow was present at 20 locations around the country, and to date, some 18,200 people have learned about the importance of early detection, and more than 1600 people have received health checks.