Ad

Famed RTÉ reporter Teresa Mannion opens up on cancer battle

Brian McEvoy

Teresa Mannion has opened up on her battle with breast cancer, by urging women not to ignore their routine mammogram.

The RTÉ correspondent, who became famous nationwide after her report on Storm Desmond went viral last year, revealed all about being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in 2013.

Teresa admitted that up until her friend guilted her into going for her breast check, she regrettably ignored letters about going for a mammogram.

 “I just ignored it until someone said to me that they were getting a mammogram and I was overwhelmed with guilt,” she told the RTÉ Guide.

t2

Scary: Teresa was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2013 | TWITTER

Thanks to the mammogram, Teresa’s radiologist discovered a small tumour, and after numerous MRIs and biopsies, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I didn’t even know there were different kinds of breast cancer and now I was diagnosed with the worst kind. I will never forget the words of the breast surgeon, Professor Michael Kerin, who broke the news to me.

“He said: ‘You have a guardian angel’ and those words stayed with me through the subsequent months.”

Teresa, who is mum to Cian (18) and Tom (17), admitted that the worst part of dealing with cancer, for her, was losing her hair after four bouts of chemotherapy, following a lumpectomy.

t

Dodged a bullet: Teresa is urging women to go get checked | TWITTER

“I had heard all the horror stories about chemotherapy but all I could think of was hair loss. I know it’s weird but losing my hair was the worst thing because you really identify with it.

“My hair had started to fall out in clumps so that you feel like this shaggy dog with hair everywhere, on the sofa.”

Now, Teresa thanks her lucky stars that she “dodged a bullet” – and urges women across Ireland to regular get their breasts checked.

“Sure I dodged a bullet. If it even gets one person to pick up the phone and make an appointment for a mammogram, then it will be good,” she added.

Ad