The family of Vicky Phelan have invited the public to a celebration of her life next weekend.
Vicky passed away on November 14 in Milford, Co Limerick from terminal cancer after years of public advocacy. Tributes have been paid nationwide following her death, with Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald describing her as a “champion of women.”
The 48-year-old’s family posted on the Facebook page Vicky’s Tribe, thanking the public for their support before confirming the event. The celebration will take place in her hometown of Mooncoin, Kilkenny, but will also be available to view online due to limited numbers.
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Her family wrote: “Vicky was a friend to many and was keen to ensure that all who wanted had the opportunity to join with us in a celebration of her life and pay their final respects. With this in mind, we invite you to the ceremony on Sunday November 27 at 1pm, where we will do our best to honour that wish.”
The campaigner was laid to rest in a private funeral ceremony last week. Her family shared that it was a “deeply personal” gathering which allowed them to reflect fondly on Vicky’s life and memory. They had also previously requested people to make donations to Milford Case Hospice in lieu of flowers.
Vicky's family said that details of the livestream would be made available later on this week. The service will feature some performances from some of Vicky's favourite musicians.
The mum-of-two first went public with her cancer diagnosis in 2018 after she was informed through a Cervical Check Audit she had received false negative results. The campaigner had undergone treatment for the disease but was incorrectly given the all clear due to the technical error.
Her advocacy later inspired other women affected by the Cervical Check scandal to come forward with their own testimonies. She had been undergoing treatment in the US as early as this year.
A documentary about her life entitled ‘Vicky’ is set to air on RTE 1 this Wednesday at 9:35pm.
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