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Family receive apology from National Screening Service after mammogram errors miss cancer

Kay O’ Keeffe passed away in 2017 after a three-year long battle with cancer, but her cancer was already incurable by the time of her diagnosis.

THE NATIONAL SCREENING Service has admitted liability today and apologised to the family of a woman who died from breast cancer after the service failed to detect abnormalities in two mammograms.

The High Court heard that Kay O’ Keeffe passed away on 12 May 2017 after a three-year long battle with cancer, but that her cancer was already incurable by the time of her diagnosis.

Breastcheck and the National Screening Service apologised to the O’Keeffe family today for failing to detect abnormalities on two consecutive mammograms, taken in 2011 and 2013.

The case was settled today with both services accepting that the delay in diagnosing Mrs O’Keeffe “materially contributed” to her death.

After the hearing, a statement was read on behalf of the family by their solicitor, Lorcan Dunphy.

“This admission and public apology provides a level of justice for Kay, her husband and her family for these catastrophic failures and their tragic outcome,” he read.

“At two separate meetings with Breastcheck Management in 2018, Kay’s husband asked how such failures could have happened.”

“In particular, how could two consecutive mammograms, on the same person, performed two years apart, be misread on each occasion, when every mammogram is read independently by two consultant breast radiologists.

“It is extremely hard to understand how the failure to detect abnormalities on four independent readings occurred and clearly indicates a process failure. The responsibility now rests with Breastcheck to provide the assurance to women in Ireland that such failures can never happen again.”

Labour TD for Tipperary North, Alan Kelly, stated today that he was shocked when Patsy O’Keeffe, Kay’s husband, first brought the issue to his attention in 2018.

“Today’s public apology marks the culmination of years of struggle by Patsy and the O’Keefe family to get some level of justice for Kay’s treatment.”

“They owed it to Kay. The catastrophic failures in process in this case are clear.”

“The question is how did they happen?”

“Screening saves lives. However, it is incumbent on me to ask the National Screening Services and Breastcheck what they have done in the intervening years to ensure no such process failures as catastrophic as this could ever happen again and I will in support of the O’Keefe family continue to do so,” the TD concluded.

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    Mute Logan Shepherd
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    Jun 16th 2020, 3:45 PM

    Good news, shows a level of confidence in where we are. It won’t be popular with the 2nd wave brigade, or the doom and gloom brigade.

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    Mute Seamus Bridgeman
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    Jun 16th 2020, 3:51 PM

    @Logan Shepherd: They said in May the schools could open one or two days a week before the term finished . He also said we could see an all Ireland final in Autumn. I wont hold my breath for gatherings of 5000 when they can safely reopen screening for cancer

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    Mute Rochelle
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    Jun 16th 2020, 4:20 PM

    @Logan Shepherd: Give it a rest, over 440k people have died to this virus worldwide and there’s currently a resurgence of cases in many countries like USA, China and Germany. Being concerned for your own safety or the welfare of others isn’t reveling in doom and gloom.
    This comment won’t be popular with the ‘head in the sand’ brigade.

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    Mute Logan Shepherd
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    Jun 16th 2020, 4:37 PM

    @Rochelle: Give it a rest!! Our numbers are low, which is why talks like this can take place. In case you don’t realise phase 4 ends on the 10th Aug. What then, should we all just continue as we are now? Of course there will be rises in cases as things open up. We are not the USA, China, or Germany. We have low numbers and personal responsibility will keep it that way. I choose to be optimistic.

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    Mute Yurt
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    Jun 16th 2020, 4:49 PM

    @Seamus Bridgeman: we were also told the LC would go ahead in June then august. Let’s say I’ll believe it when it happens.

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    Mute Larkin About
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    Jun 16th 2020, 3:44 PM

    Opening everything up early to boost the feelgood factor. Great distraction from the fact that he lost the election but has conspired to stay in power anyway.

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    Mute David Clements
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    Jun 16th 2020, 4:05 PM

    @Larkin About: are you claiming the voting or counting was rigged?

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    Mute Larkin About
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    Jun 16th 2020, 4:10 PM

    @David Clements: No. I’m sure the voting and counting was beyond reproach. Hence why he lost.

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    Mute Gavin Conran
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    Jun 16th 2020, 4:24 PM

    @Larkin About: So who won?

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    Mute David Clements
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    Jun 16th 2020, 4:27 PM

    @Larkin About: brain dead stuff. Do they not teach you about prstv anymore?

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Jun 16th 2020, 5:43 PM

    @David Clements: I don’t know about voting being rigged but Leo wasn’t elected on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th count in the recent General election held around 140 days ago and neither were most of his FFG colleagues unlike those the many in Sinn Féin who are being ignored by him.

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    Mute john s
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    Jun 16th 2020, 7:16 PM

    @Larkin About: ahh that’s right democracy was carried out and Sinn Fein don’t like the result. Bla bla bla. How about you going and get people to support u in government that’s right nobody wanted to talk to you

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    Mute Lily Martin
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    Jun 16th 2020, 3:48 PM

    After so long in lock down I feel a flutter of panic at the thought of a crowd of 5,000 people.

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    Mute Neil Melly
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    Jun 16th 2020, 4:09 PM

    @Lily Martin: u can stay in lockdown for entirety Lily.

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    Mute Lily Martin
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    Jun 16th 2020, 6:07 PM

    @Neil Melly: No thanks!

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    Mute Anthony Whelan
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    Jun 16th 2020, 5:18 PM

    Thought gatherings of 5k were already permitted or is it solely BLM only gatherings that are exempt

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    Mute Cliff Burnby
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    Jun 16th 2020, 8:44 PM

    @Anthony Whelan: It’s a very virtuous virus, it won’t attack them.

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    Mute Niamh Hayes
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    Jun 16th 2020, 5:30 PM

    Any chance the teachers will go back to work in September then?

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    Mute Ian James Burgess
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    Jun 16th 2020, 4:35 PM

    Pity he wasn’t up to speed as it has been said that cinemas could open in July. Should spend less time with the bag of cans in the Park

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    Mute Frank Discussion
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    Jun 16th 2020, 4:11 PM

    I can’t see many people taking a punt organising a festival in advance

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    Mute Seriousnojoke
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    Jun 16th 2020, 4:16 PM

    Any updates on the vaccine???

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    Mute Eileen O'Sullivan
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    Jun 16th 2020, 3:57 PM

    they ll have a scaled down electric picnic for young people.

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    Mute Tony Humphreys
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    Jun 16th 2020, 4:53 PM

    @Eileen O’Sullivan: a battery picnic!

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    Mute Mikey B Maguire
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    Jun 16th 2020, 5:53 PM

    How exactly will the Arts Council dole out this 100million euro?

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    Mute Mary N Murphy
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    Jun 18th 2020, 7:07 PM

    how about gathering of 300 or less outdoor event partial fundraiser would that be allowed on august bank holiday event it would be member of a social group only with contact tracing and social distancing in place does anyone know, i would expect that gatherings of less that 5000 people outdoor by sept 2020 would be considered a very large gathering, we just want gathering of 300 or less thanks if anyone can enlighten me regards mary

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    Mute Mary N Murphy
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    Jun 18th 2020, 7:01 PM

    how bout prior to sept 2020 gathering numbers allowed, i mean outdoor event of less that 300 people anyone have any idea it would also be a partial fundraiser

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    Mute Joe Toner
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    Jun 16th 2020, 6:46 PM

    5000 will just about fit in Kildare Street taking social distancing into consideration.

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