The father of cervical cancer awareness campaigner Vicky Phelan who died last Monday has revealed how he “never thought” a person could feel “so lonely surrounded by so many”.
The mother-of-two originally from Mooncoin, Co Kilkenny but who lived in Annacotty, Co Limerick, lifted the lid in 2018 with a High Court case in 2018 over how her cervical smear tests were handled after the HSE outsourced them to a US firm.
The 48-year-old was awarded €2.5m in damages but without admission of liability by the HSE and she refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement prior to the settlement which was settled on the steps of the High Court just prior to the case being heard.
READ MORE: Vicky Phelan's private funeral has taken place as family says they will 'cherish the memories'
Ms Phelan was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014, three years after a smear test she had was wrongly reported as clear.
Her case prompted more than 220 other women to come forward over misreported smear test results and led to several reviews of the State’s cervical cancer screening programme, CervicalCheck and a damning report by Dr Gabriel Scally who said it was “doomed to fail”.
Following a tribute by the Support for Nurses, Midwives and Frontline Staff in Ireland on their Facebook page Vicky’s father John Clarken said his family had received so many “beautiful tributes” about his daughter.
He said: ”"I never thought you could feel so lonely surrounded by so many in the last few days since our beautiful daughter Vicky passed away but for all the beautiful tributes we have received and this is a very special one.
“I would like to thank you very much for the high esteem in which you hold our daughter and the grief we share at this difficult time. Regards to all who posted some beautiful comments on this article also. Vicky's Dad. John Clarken.”
The Facebook page following the public announcement of her death paid tribute to the former head of the Literacy Development Centre at the then Waterford Institute of Technology (now SETU) and posted one of Vicky’s favourite places - a photo she took herself of the west coast of Ireland.
They said: “One of Vicky’s favourite places was the west coast of Ireland where she used to love spending time in her holiday home (in Doonbeg, Co Clare).
“She often talked of walking the beach which she adored to do or simply watching waves as they either crashed into the shore or on soft days, rolled gently onto the beach. It was the simple things that meant the most to Vicky.
Spending time with her children (Daragh and Amelia) and her loved ones and watching in awe at the beauty of nature. Absorbing and making the most of every precious moment that she had left in this world.
“We all know that Vicky was that wave who came crashing in when there was desperate wrong doing to her and to so many other women in Ireland. She brought to light the cervical scandal. She was not going to shut up and go away quietly as they had hoped she would do.”
The tribute continued: “The powers that be had met their match in Vicky Phelan. She fought to the very end to stay alive for as long as she could and she fought to the end for every person in Ireland who was and who could be failed by our health service. In doing so she saved hundreds of lives. We all watched in awe and admiration of her and her bravery.
“She was as beautiful and yet as strong as those waves she so loved. But Vicky was also the gentle wave that rolls on to the beach. She comforted and reassured all of us. She opened our eyes to the best things in life and she taught us to appreciate them. She inspired all of us. Vicky Phelan was and is our hero!
“Our little island is yet again mourning the loss of another woman to cancer. It's made all the harder by knowing their deaths might possibly have been avoided..... We can only pray that this dreadful situation may never ever be allowed to happen or to be covered up again. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts Vicky. In all of our hearts you shall remain.”
The group finished their tribute to Ms Phelan by leaving a poem by Ellen Brememan.
A private funeral was held last Thursday according to her wishes.
Ms Phelan died peacefully in the presence of her loving family, after a long illness "borne with great dignity” at Milford Care Hospice in Castletroy, Co Limerick.
She is survived by her husband Jim, daughter Amelia, son Daragh, father John Clarken, mother Gaby Phelan and siblings Robbie, Lee, Jonnie and Lyndsey.
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