Book of condolence opened in Sligo in tribute to late Vicky Phelan

A BOOK of condolence in tribute to Cervical Cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan has been opened in Sligo.

The book was opened by LeasCathaoirleach Marie Casserly and will remain in the lobby at County Hall, Riverside.

Ms Phelan died this week after an heroic battle with illness as she chose to highlight the failings of the system that left her unaware of a cancer diagnosis until it was too late to fight the illness. The Limerick woman inspired hundreds of thousands of people worldwide by her response to how the detection system failed her.

Sligo Leitrim TD Marian Harkin was one of many to pay tribute to Vicky when she spoke in Dáil Eireann earlier this week.

She said “Vicky will be remembered for her courage, in refusing to walk away when she knew her stance would make a vital difference in improving our cervical cancer screening services.

“Vicky will be remembered for her brutal honesty regarding her illness and her words opened the door for other women to speak up and speak out about certain women’s health issues that have been hidden as if they were shameful and neglected as if they were not important. “Vicky will be remembered for her compassion for others and the many ways in which she reached out, giving hope where it was badly needed.

“Vicky was fully committed to all women using Cervical Check, despite the fact she had been failed in this regard. “She also expressed her full support for the HPV vaccine as she saw both services as essential to women’s health.

“Vicky was a strong, warm, beautiful and tenacious woman and we in this House [Dáil Eireann] have a duty to ensure her legacy of a quality Cervical screening service and full transparency to patients, is ensured.”