Free health checks being offered by Irish Cancer Society in Carlow next week

The Irish Cancer Society will be offering free health checks in Fairgreen Shopping Centre, Barrack Street, Carlow next week.

As part of the ‘Your Health Matters’ Roadshow, nurses will administer health checks to the public from 9am – 6pm on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th February, 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.

According to the Irish Cancer Society, early detection and diagnosis of cancer is 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 this 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 travelled to 20 different locations around the country. To date, over 18,200 people have learned about the importance of early detection, and more than 1600 people have received health checks.