MediCentre Portarlington

01/04/2026

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. Bowel cancer is the second most common of all cancers in men and the third most common of all cancers in women in Ireland. About 2,500 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year.

The HSE is encouraging eligible people to participate in Bowel Screening. BowelScreen offers free screening to residents aged 57 to 71. The programme is changing and those eligible can request their free home kit 24/7 through a new online register.

Dr Alan Smith, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, HSE National Screening Service, said: "BowelScreen plays an important role in preventing bowel cancer and in detecting it early, before symptoms have started. Completing the BowelScreen FIT kit test is easy and takes 5 minutes in your bathroom at home. All we need is a small sample of your poo. It’s the best test we have to find people who are at higher risk of developing bowel cancer".

As always, if you have any symptoms or questions, contact your GP.

https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/bowel-cancer/

24/03/2026

March is

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places. It can affect women of any age, although it is less likely in women after menopause. It is also less likely in girls in the early years after their first period. It is estimated it affects 10% of girls and women worldwide. In Ireland, it is estimated that 155,000 of women are affected by the condition.

As per the HSE, the most common symptoms include:

-Pain in your lower tummy or back (pelvic pain) in the days before your period starts and pain that usually gets worse during your period. The pain is worse than 'normal' period cramps and can be hard to control with basic pain medication
-Period pain that stops you from doing normal activities or causes you to miss social events
-Pelvic pain that also happens at other times of the month when you are not menstruating (such as midway through your cycle)
-Heavy bleeding during your period - you might use a lot of pads or tampons, or you may bleed through your clothes
-Pain during or after s*x
-Pain when peeing or pooing that is worse during the time of your period
-Feeling sick, constipated, having diarrhoea, or blood in your urine during your period
-Difficulty getting pregnant

Talk to your GP if you have symptoms of endometriosis.

https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/endometriosis/

08/03/2026

05/03/2026

Norovirus, also known as winter vomiting bug, can be caught any time of the year. It is an easily spread virus that causes sudden onset of vomiting and diarrhoea. Cases of Norovirus are increasing in Ireland.

For information on the symptoms and how to help stop the spread, visit our website: https://bit.ly/3MHPYoO

22/01/2026

This week is .

The HSE is reminding everyone that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, and that the actions we take today can stop it developing in the future.

More from the HSE website:

"Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). By preventing HPV, finding it, and treating abnormal cells, we can prevent cervical cancer before it develops.

In Ireland, we already have everything we need to do to make this possible:

Free HPV vaccination
Free cervical screening (CervicalCheck)
Free follow-up tests and treatment for those who need it'

Prof Nóirín Russell, CervicalCheck Clinical Director said:

“Nearly 250 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in Ireland every year. Half of these are found through screening. Many more women have abnormal, pre-cancerous changes found and treated through screening. We want to get to a place where most cervical cancers are stopped before they ever start. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers we have. This Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, I’m asking everyone to start a conversation and support a woman or girl, daughter or parent, partner or friend to take an important step to protect their own health by choosing HPV vaccination and screening.

“It’s so encouraging to know we are potentially only 14 years away from our goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. We have the tools in HPV vaccination, HPV cervical screening and follow up, and early treatment in colposcopy services. We can achieve elimination if we take these important steps.”

As always, it's important to which can include abnormal vaginal bleeding, unusual vaginal discharge and pelvic or lower back pain. If you are experiencing any symptoms or have any concerns, don't hesitate to contact your GP.

https://about.hse.ie/news/hse-marks-cervical-cancer-prevention-week-2026/

24/12/2025

Wishing our patients a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the MediCentre Team.

09/10/2025

Wishing our friend and colleague Síle Burbage and the entire St Conleths LGFC team the very best of luck in the county final on Saturday! It promises to be another incredible outing for the amazing girls in white and blue!

A sea of white and blue…

It’s the moment we all wait for every year — the Laois LOETB Senior Championship Final!

Our community is bursting with pride as our incredible girls prepare to defend their title and chase a historic two-in-a-row victory.

Every cheer, every flag, and every bit of white and blue makes a difference.

Let’s come together and show the strength of our support!

📸 Send us your photos of white and blue displays in your homes, schools, businesses, and neighbourhoods. Let’s flood our social media feeds and towns with colour and pride!

This team has inspired us all with their dedication, teamwork, and passion — now it’s our turn to lift them even higher.

If you’d like to sponsor the team for this momentous occasion, we’d love to hear from you.

Clifford: (087) 758 3241
Síle: (085) 8330790

Together, we can make this a final to remember —
Let’s turn the county into a sea of white and blue!💙🤍

Ticket link 🎫

https://www.universe.com/events/loetb-u16-a-senior-laois-lgfa-championship-finals-tickets-MP916J?ref=share-widget-buffer

01/09/2025

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

The Irish Cancer Society notes: "Around 190 children under the age of 16 and around 70 teenagers aged between 15 and 19 are diagnosed each year in Ireland. They often affect different parts of the body and behave differently. The most common tumours in children are brain and central nervous system tumours. Although cancer is rare in children, it’s important to know the symptoms and get any unusual changes checked by your GP."

A list of signs and symptoms can be found here:
https://www.cancer.ie/childrens-cancer/symptoms-and-diagnosis-of-childrens-cancer

Dr Michael Capra, Consultant Paediatric Oncologist at CHI at Crumlin, stressed the importance of awareness:

“The signs and symptoms can look very innocuous on their own, so we are looking for persistent or recurring signs. Please remember, if your child has some of these symptoms, it does not mean that they have cancer.

"But it’s important that they are seen by a doctor, who can rule out a more serious problem. More than likely, it will be something minor, but we want to catch those rare cases where it’s something serious as early as possible.”

As always, don't hesitate to contact your GP if you have any concerns.