THE FUNERAL of CervicalCheck campaigner Vicky Phelan has taken place in private in accordance with her wishes.
According to her death notice on rip.ie, her family asked that donations be made to Milford Care Hospice in Castletroy, Co Limerick in lieu of flowers.
It said that she passed away at Milford Care Centre "in the presence of her loving family, after a long illness borne with great dignity."
"Vicky will be sadly missed by her loving family, husband Jim, daughter Amelia, son Darragh, her parents John and Gaby Kelly, her siblings Robbie, Lee, Jonnie and Lyndsey, parents-in-law Jim and Breda Phelan, nephews, nieces, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, other relatives, friends and neighbours."
Donations, in lieu of flowers, were requested to go to Milford Care Centre, which can be accessed here.
Messages of sympathy may be expressed through the condolence section below or cards and messages of comfort can be sent to Cross’s Funeral Home, 2 Lower Gerald Griffin Street, Limerick.
Ms Phelan was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014, three years after a smear test result she had undergone was wrongly reported as clear.
She came to public attention in 2018 after bringing a High Court case over how her smear tests were handled.
Her case prompted more than 200 other women to come forward over misreported smear test results and led to a series of reviews of Ireland’s cervical cancer screening programme CervicalCheck.
Speaking following her death, Ms Phelan's family paid tribute to her, saying she will leave a void in their lives that “at this point seems impossible to fill”.
“It is with an immense burden of grief that earlier today we bade our final farewell to our beloved Vicky,” a statement from her husband Jim and children Amelia and Darragh said.
“She was the heart and soul of our family unit and her passing will leave a void in all our lives, that at this point seems impossible to fill.
“We cherish the memories of a loving wife, mother, daughter and sister, whose ability to deal with the struggles of life has inspired not only ourselves but an entire nation.
“The outpouring of grief and good wishes from far and wide are truly appreciated. Funeral arrangements when made will be private, with an opportunity for people to pay their respects in due course.”
