Dr Monica Peres: A self-check a day keeps the doctor away

Dr Monica Peres believes the first step in our healthcare needs to be simple tests we can do at home.

Dr Monica Peres

Health checks can be done in the comfort of our own homes. 

But in our busy lives and amid the growing trend of praising productivity, they’ve fallen down our priority list. Dr Monica Peres is working to change that.

Peres, a GP from Carrigaline, Cork, is all about preventative health. 

She believes in informing people about preventative health measures. 

Peres will be on stage in the WellTalk area at the upcoming WellFest 2024 on May 11 and 12 in Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin and will use the platform to discuss the importance of health checks.

“There are several health checks that we should be doing every month. By doing these regularly, we can pick up changes in our body and then go to our doctor to investigate any changes further. With most conditions, early detection can make a difference,” she says.

“People are often aware of the various checks they could be doing, but if they don’t feel unwell they might not think to do the checks. We all live busy lives too, and we don’t prioritise health checks as much as we should. The way I look at it, if we can spend 10 minutes on our daily skincare routine we can take time to give ourselves a monthly breast exam.”

Peres will focus on several physical checks we can do and demonstrate how to do them at WellFest. “I’ll be showing people how to do a breast exam, how to check their skin for any changes that could indicate melanoma, and how to check their lymph nodes.

“For the men, I will be talking about testicular health and showing them how to check their testicles, and I will also be showing women how to check their vulva for any changes.

“Nobody knows your body like you do. You are best placed to see or feel when there is something not quite right.

“We’re lucky in Ireland that we have a number of free screening services, but these are under-used. These screening services can highlight other issues that you won’t be able to check for yourself.”

While there is no specific health check we can do for mental health, Peres says most people will have some idea when things aren’t right. 

“It can be easy to make excuses for how you feel, like ‘I’m stressed’ or ‘I’m so busy’, but generally, if you’re feeling that way persistently and it’s affecting your quality of life, then that’s an issue.”

Education is essential, says Peres. “Vulva checks, for example, aren’t something we really do, but it’s important to know what normal looks like. That way, we can quickly identify when something might be wrong.”

When it comes to women’s health, she is keen to have open conversations. At her WellFest talk, she is looking forward to engaging with the audience and answering any questions they may have.

“Naturally, if I’m talking about vulva checks, this could lead to discussing other topics like vaginal dryness, menopause, cervical cancer signs, contraception. I want to have these conversations with people.”

According to Peres, we’ve come a long way in recent years. “Even as recently as five years ago, we wouldn’t hear patients saying the word ‘period’. 

They’d use the phrase ‘time of the month’ instead. But that’s changing now, and health conversations and conversations about women’s health and mental health are becoming part of the mainstream.”

With her popular Instagram account @blondieperez, Dr Peres is part of a cohort dedicated to bringing these conversations into the public consciousness. 

“During the pandemic, I was seeing patients and often they were presenting with issues they should have had checked months ago. There was also a lot of disinformation around at that time. I started posting on social media about various issues, things people could be looking out for, and ways they could look after themselves. I’m so glad I did. If I can help just one person with each post it’s worth it.”