Cervical cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan dies

Irish cervical cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan has died, the PA news agency has confirmed.Limerick mother-of-two Vicky Phelan died, aged 48, in the early hours of Monday morning.Ms Phelan grabbed the attention of the Irish public after bringing a High Court case over how her cervical smears were handled, which ultimately prompted a series of reviews of Ireland’s cervical cancer screening programme CervicalCheck.Her case prompted other women to come forward, and raised questions about the quality of the programme, about how women should be involved and informed about their own healthcare, and the issue of open disclosure.Despite receiving a terminal cervical cancer diagnosis, Ms Phelan actively campaigned for better healthcare and better accountability in the healthcare system.