Funeral arrangements have been announced for the late CervicalCheck campaigner, Lynsey Bennett, who will be laid to rest in her native Longford on Monday.
Ms Bennett, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2017, is survived by her daughters Zoe (14) and Hailee (9), and her father Coote.
The 34-year-old was diagnosed with an invasive form of cervical cancer in 2017. Last year she settled her High Court action over the alleged misinterpretation of her cervical slides which missed her diagnosis.
In statement outside the Four Courts, she said that she hoped she had done enough to secure her children a future free of financial worries.
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“And that even with me not here to guide you, you can both pursue your dreams,” she said. “And always remember, Mammy loves you.”
[ CervicalCheck campaigner Lynsey Bennett dies aged 34Opens in new window ]
Ms Bennett’s funeral will take place at noon on Monday in St John’s Church, Battery Road, Longford, with burial following in the adjoining cemetery. She will lie in repose on Sunday at Glennon’s Funeral Home, Ballinalee Road, Longford, from 5pm to 8pm.
Ms Bennett, who lived at Fortfield House in Carton Big, Longford, died peacefully at home on Thursday surrounded by her family and friends. She was predeceased by her mother Lesley.
She is also survived by her sisters Averyl and Kelley, brother-in-law Craig, nieces Bella and Fiadh, uncle Cecil and his wife Irene, aunts, uncles, cousins and a wide circle of friends.
The family has asked that donations be made, if desired, to Longford Hospice and LARCC Centre, in lieu of flowers.
Meanwhile, tributes have continued to come in to Ms Bennett. Fellow CervicalCheck activist Vicky Phelan said she was late posting a tribute on Instagram as she is “not very well” and “spent most of the day at the hospital”.
“I am very late posting a tribute to @lynseybennettofficial here today because I am not well myself and spent most of the day out at the hospital having a procedure done,” Ms Phelan said.
“That, unfortunately, is the reality of living with late stage cervical cancer as Lynsey would have known only too well these last few months of her very short life, at only 34 years of age.”
Irish singer Una Healy, formerly of the The Saturday’s, was a close friend of the campaigner’s. She posted a photograph online of the pair taken during a recent family trip to Disneyland Paris with their children.
She said she was grateful for all the special memories they made together.
“Life is so precious and you lived and loved it to the fullest. Rest in peace my beautiful friend. My thoughts are with your family and friends especially your babies Zoe and Hailee.”
In a statement yesterday afternoon, Ms Bennett’s solicitor Gillian O’Mahony said that she was “a very special person.”
“Lynsey’s beautiful girls, father, sisters, family and friends are heartbroken at the passing of Lynsey at the young age of 34 years and would appeal for privacy at the moment.”
Ms Bennett had sued the HSE, Irish testing laboratory Eurofins Biomnis Ireland Ltd and US laboratory Quest Diagnostics Incorporated in New Jersey. She had smear tests in 2010, 2014, and 2016. The tests, it was alleged, came back as negative. She had travelled overseas to Germany and Mexico for treatment as she tried to extend her life.