Vicky Phelan Wiki, Age, Husband, Family, Daughter Illness, Wedding, Cause of Death, Obituary, Funeral

Vicky Phelan Biography – Vicky Phelan Wiki

Vicky Phelan was an advocate for Women’s Health and an author. Phelan was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014 three years after receiving an incorrect smear test result that failed to detect any abnormalities. From there she underwent aggressive treatment — radiation, chemotherapy and brachytherapy — and was eventually given the all-clear.

In September 2017, during a routine checkup, her gynaecologist told her that an audit carried out by CervicalCheck found her 2011 smear test had been reported as a false negative.

Weeks later, a CT scan revealed her cancer had returned, and this time was delivered a terminal diagnosis. Left alone with her patient file, she flipped it open and quickly realised something was wrong relating to her smear history and CervicalCheck and contacted a lawyer.

She sued and won a settlement of €2.5m without admission of liability from Clinical Pathology Laboratories, a Texas-based company subcontracted to assess her test. Crucially, she resisted a gagging order and lifted the lid on a wider debacle. Inaccurate smear test results had been given to at least 208 women later diagnosed with cervical cancer. Most were not told about the revised results. At least 21 have died, according to The Guardian.

Phelan’s memoir, Overcoming, written with journalist Naomi Linehan, was published in 2019 and won the RTÉ Listeners’ Choice award at the An Post Irish Book Awards.

Determined from a young age, Phelan persuaded her mother to allow her to start school at three. She attended Scoil Mhuire National School in Mooncoin and Mooncoin Vocational School where she received the highest Leaving Certificate results in her year.

She became the first in her family to go to university when she went to the University of Limerick in 1993 to study Arts in European Studies. Phelan loved studying languages and spent time in both France and Spain as an au pair. She graduated with a first class honours degree in 1997 after which she signed up as the first PhD student at the new Centre for Applied Language Studies at UL. Although she didn’t get to complete her PhD, she went on to teach at UL and worked for a time as a translator of the European Commission.

In 2001, she was appointed to the international education division at UL where her main role was to manage the Erasmus programmes. Through her efforts, UL grew its exchange programmes.

In the early 2000s, Vicky Phelan left UL to take up the position of director of literacy development at the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), a national centre that provides professional development to practitioners working within the adult literary and adult education sector. She later became Head of the Literacy Development Centre. While at WIT, she completed a Masters in the Management of Education in 2011. She remained a staff member of WIT for almost 12 years.

In June, 2018, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from UL. And the following November she was awarded an honorary fellowship by the Waterford Institute of Technology.

Vicky Phelan Age

Vicky Phelan was born on 28 October 1974 in Waterford. She died on 14 November 2022. She was 48 years old.

Vicky Phelan Husband

Vicky Phelan was married to her husband Jim Phelan. She met Jim in a pub on St Patrick’s Day in 1996. They married in the Caribbean in 2005 and moved into their first home in Mullinavat, Co Kilkenny.

Vicky Phelan Children

The Limerick native is survived by her husband Jim and her two children, Amelia and Darragh.

Vicky Phelan Family

Vicky Kelly was the eldest of five children of John and Gaby Kelly. Her father – one of 16 children – is a fisherman and her mother was just 19 when she was born. She spent the first five years of her life in Ballygorey, Co Kilkenny before the family moved to a council house in Mooncoin.

Vicky Phelan is survived by her husband, Jim, her daughter, Amelia, her son, Darragh, her parents, John and Gaby Kelly, her brothers, Robbie, Lee and Jonnie, her sister, Lyndsey, nieces and nephews.

Vicky Phelan Death

Cervical cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan passed away on Monday 14 November 2022 at age 48 at Milford hospice in County Limerick surrounded by her family. Vicky Phelan’s husband Jim paid tribute to his wife, saying her death 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 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.”

The Irish prime minister, Micheal Martin, said in a statement: “I am deeply saddened at the passing of Vicky Phelan. On behalf of the Government of Ireland, I extend my deepest sympathies to her husband Jim, children Amelia and Darragh, family and friends.

“Vicky was a woman of extraordinary courage, integrity, warmth and generosity of spirit. She made a very significant contribution to public life in Ireland and Vicky’s actions and commitment will live long in the memory of the entire nation. Vicky ensured the embedding of the principle of full public disclosure in the area of public health.

“Vicky stood up for the public interest, particularly in relation to the CervicalCheck scandal. She was an outstanding advocate for women across this country, and across the globe. Vicky always gave selflessly of her time to help others, even though she was going through severe illness herself. The people of Ireland have a deep affection for Vicky, and will always hold her contribution to public life in the highest regard.”

Vicky Phelan Cause of Death

Phelan’s cause of death was cervical cancer.

Vicky Phelan’s Daughter Illness

Vicky’s daughter, Amelia, was born in 2005 following a very difficult pregnancy, during which it was feared that the baby would be lost to toxoplasmosis, a rare condition that can cause blindness and other problems. Amelia went on to have some blindness in her right eye as well as some other medical issues.

Vicky Phelan Accident

In her memoir, Overcoming, Phelan revealed how she was in a car crash that shattered her pelvis and nearly killed her while working as an au pair in France in 1994. A close friend was paralysed from the neck down and her then-boyfriend, Christophe, and a dear friend, Lisa, died.

Vicky Phelan Funeral

In May 2021 for an interview with The Irish Times Women’s Podcast Big Night In, Vicky Phelan revealed that she had planned her death and discussed it in detail with her family.

“I’m one of those control freaks who plans everything, including my death and funeral”. She said that she didn’t want anyone to wear black to her funeral and she wanted it to be “a night out with live music”.

Vicky Phelan Instagram

Vicky Phelan’s Instagram is @vickyphelanofficial.