A Laois breast cancer survivor spends her days raising awareness of the often silent disease across Ireland.

Rathdowney woman Helen Campion is well-known within Rathdowney, for both her community work and her musical talent. She is a founding member of the Rathdowney Arts Group, and an organiser of local events in Rathdowney such as the St Patrick's Day Parade, and ran for local Council in 2024.

What many may not know about Helen is her battle with breast cancer, following a diagnosis in 2019. Ms Campion now works with Breast Cancer Ireland as an educational coordinator for the Munster region.

"It was purely good luck that my cancer was found when it was," Ms Campion told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

Pictured: Rathdowney woman Helen Campion at a breast cancer awareness stand

"I had registered with the breast check database when I turned 50, and when I turned 52 in 2019, I was called for the first mammogram," she explained.

"What's funny about it is that I originally wasn't going to go, I was very flippant about it. Like any other woman, I would have checked myself for lumps now and then- I knew I had none, and I wasn't feeling unwell.

"I rang them to cancel my appointment in St Vincent's, and they asked if I would prefer to go to their mobile unit in Newbridge the following day. It was totally random that I was diagnosed," she said.

Four days after her mammogram in Newbridge, Ms Campion was told to come to St Vincent's hospital for a second mammogram.

"I had walked out of the mobile unit in Newbridge thinking it was great, saying that it's brilliant to have the service. When I got called back, that's when it all changed," she said.

"In the hospital there were loads of women in gowns getting their mammograms, I came out of the mammogram and was sent for an ultrasound. That was when I started to question things," she said.

"All the other women had came and went, and I was brought into a little room with a cup of tea- that's never a good sign," she laughed.

"I was then told that they had found a mass on my left breast that it had already travelled to my armpit, and that I would need to go for a biopsy.

"I tried to convince the doctor that he was wrong, because I had no symptoms- I had no lumps, and I wasn't feeling sick. He started laughing and told me that this is the good news, they have caught it early," Helen explained.

Helen kept her diagnosis to herself, until she knew from the biopsy that her cancer was treatable.

Pictured: Helen gives a talk in a Munster school 

"My diagnosis was so random, I was so, so lucky. I didn't think I had symptoms, because all I knew was to check for lumps. There are eight common symptoms that not many women know," she said.

"Even after my treatment no one had told me. Breast cancer can appear as a puckering or retracted nipple, and a rash is also very common, anywhere from your collarbone to your armpit."

Symptoms of breast cancer can include: 

• A lump or thickening in your breast or armpit
• A change in size or shape of your breast such as one breast becoming larger than the other
• A change in the skin of your breast, such as puckering, ridges or dimpling (the skin may look like orange peel) or redness
• A breast abscess or boil - this may appear as a red, tender area on your breast.
• A change in your nipple, such as a pulled in, sunken or flattened nipple.
• An unusual discharge (liquid) from one or both of your nipples. The discharge may be blood stained or watery.
• A change on or around the nipple such as a rash or flaky or crusted skin
• Swelling in your armpit or around your collarbone
• Soreness or warmth (inflammatory breast cancer)
• A red scaly rash on one nipple, which may itch or burn (Paget’s disease of the breast)

"This is why I took the job as an educator with Breast Cancer Ireland- I had symptoms, and never knew. I tell my own story when I give my talks to people. I want to show the signs, and the proof that you can do more than survive cancer, you can get treatment and move on with your life," Helen said.

Pictured: Mean Scoil Nua an Leith Triuigh presenting Helen with a cheque for Breast Cancer Ireland

There are ten educators for Breast Cancer Ireland, all survivors of the disease. Educators within the Breast Health and Education Awareness Programme cover the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland, working to promote good breast health amongst women of all ages.

"The key is catching it early, that's it. There is now a 90% survival rate, it's amazing- but the caveat is catching it in its early stages," Helen explained.

Ms Campion qualified for a medical card upon her diagnosis, and said that the treatment she received was phenomenal.

"When I've told people about the treatment I received, I've been asked if I had went private because the care was so great and so quick. My care was public- when doctors find something they know they can treat, they're so good. the HSE staff are incredible," she said.

When Helen received the news that her cancer was at stage one going into stage two, she knew that it would not be fatal.

"We caught it on time, and that was my bottom line. I knew I'd have a journey ahead of me, but I knew it wouldn't kill me. Only after that did I tell my sons, I rang them and made the tough call. I kept that baseline from day one," she said.

Helen underwent surgery and radiation treatments at St Luke's hospital in Kilkenny. Following her treatment, she was prescribed the estrogen blocker Tamoxifen, which kept the cancer from returning. 

Pictured: Helen with one of Breast Cancer Ireland's fleet of pink cars

"I took my final dose in April of 2025, after being on the tablet for six years. The following June I came across the position of Education & Awareness coordinator for Munster with Breast Cancer Ireland.

"I saw that the position had closed a few days before, but I decided to send my CV in anyway. I have a background in community engagement and giving talks, and it was something I felt so passionately about," she said.

Helen was hired by Breast Cancer Ireland, and has never looked back since. 

"We just clicked, I was sent the contract the very same day. It has been incredible. Out of ten coordinators, we managed to reach over 35,000 people last year. We have had people approach us to thank us for helping them catch their cancer early, both women and men," she said.

"We want to reach as many people as possible- we are a movement completely funded by the public, set up to be so by the Royal College of Surgeons, who are still the directors of the board to this day. Through raising awareness, the mortality rates are reducing by 2% each year. Breast cancer is now survivable.

"That being said, 23% of women from 20 to 50 will get breast cancer. We want to reach these women. One in 738 men get breast cancer, and it's not talked about. If something pops up or changes and doesn't go away, get it checked. If caught early, it's treatable," Helen finished.

Breast Cancer Ireland has a free app called 'Breast Aware', which shows women how to check their breasts for symptoms, and provides monthly reminders to do so. 

In PICTURES: Laois students bloom for Daffodil Day at Portlaoise school

For more information on breast cancer symptoms, treatments and supports, see BreastCancerIreland.com.