A PORTRAIT of patient advocate and cervical cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan has raised over €46,000 for healthcare workers.
The portrait, created by Tullamore artist Vincent Devine, illustrates Ms Phelan's life in three panels, from her terminal cancer diagnosis to her vital advocacy work.
Ms Phelan herself is currently in the United States where she is undergoing a clinical trial treatment which she hopes will prolong her life and allow her to spend more time with her family.
The stunning portrait was auctioned off yesterday to raise funds for healthcare charity Heroes Aid, and fetched an incredible €46,500.
According to The Journal, the portrait was purchased by Kilkenny native David Brennan, a family friend of Ms Phelan who has promised to put it on public display where it "can be seen by as many people as possible".
Triptych Portrait of Vicky Phelan by artist Vincent Devine, commissioned by Heroes Aid (Image: Heroes Aid)The auctioneers, Sheppard's Irish Auction House, also donated their auctioneer's fees to the Heroes Aid charity.
The portrait, titled 'Triptych Portrait of Vicky Phelan', "straddles the boundaries of Realism, Surrealism and Expressionism", according to a description by Heroes Aid.
"Within her torso, invisible cancer is made visible. Her eyes are bright with strength and hope.
"A flickering candle reminds the viewer of the fragility of life itself. Indented into the sands beneath, Vicky Phelan’s footsteps then leave the canvas."
Ms Phelan was said to be "gobsmacked" with the price her portrait fetched and was over the moon that it would be brought to Mooncoin, County Kilkenny, where she spent her childhood.
You can learn more about the Heroes Aid healthcare charity and the vital work they do on their website here.
