Emma Mhic Mhathúna faced illness ‘like a Celtic warrior’

Emma Mhic Mhathúna has been remembered as “a courageous campaigner” and someone who faced her illness “like a Celtic warrior” following her death on Sunday.

Ms Mhic Mhathúna (37), a mother-of-five from Baile na nGall, Co Kerry, was one of the women affected by the CervicalCheck controversy. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016 and was informed in April 2017 that a previous smear test that indicated no abnormalities was later found to be incorrect. US laboratory Quest Diagnostics admitted misreading her two cervical smear slides in 2010 and 2013.

Ms Mhic Mhathúna sued the HSE and Quest Diagnostics and was awarded €7.5 million last June.

Her campaigning and the campaigning of others, including Limerick woman Vicky Phelan, triggered a scoping inquiry into the failure of the CervicalCheck screening programme and doctors to tell women about a retrospective audit that showed smear tests were incorrectly interpreted, potentially preventing them from receiving earlier treatment. The inquiry, completed last month by Dr Gabriel Scally, made wide-ranging recommendations.

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Of the group of 221 affected women, 19 have died.

Moving interview

In a moving interview with RTÉ's Morning Ireland last May, Ms Mhic Mhathúna revealed she was terminally ill.

She said if her smear test had been read correctly in 2013, “I wouldn’t be where I am today”.

“That is what makes it so heartbreaking. I’m dying when I don’t need to die. And my children are going to be without me, and I’m going to be without them,” she said.

“I tried to do everything right by, you know, breastfeeding and being a full-time mum, and sacrificing, you know, my own life for them.

“I didn’t see it as a sacrifice and now I’m going to miss out. And I don’t even know if my little baby is going to remember me.”

Speaking after the settlement, Ms Mhic Mhathúna said she was determined to fight for justice for her children. “I’m a very strong character. I could have easily gone 10 rounds with the HSE and Quest but they realised what they were up against,” she said.

Another brave mother leaves this world, gets her wings and leaves behind five amazing children

Ms Phelan, whose High Court settlement in April exposed the non-disclosure of incorrect smear tests, described Ms Mhic Mhathúna as a “formidable woman” who had made “a huge impact”.

“I really thought Emma had a few more months in her, to be honest. I didn’t realise that she was bad as what she is, it’s very difficult,” she told RTÉ Radio 1 on Sunday.

‘About her children’

Stephen Teap, whose wife Irene, from Co Cork, was diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and died last year after two undisclosed false negative smear tests in 2010 and 2013, said Ms Mhic Mhathúna “made everything about her children”.

“Another brave mother leaves this world, gets her wings and leaves behind five amazing children. Emma’s pain and suffering is now over but it begins for her five kids and it’s all about her children. That’s what she fought for this whole time,” he said.

Ms Mhic Mhathúna recently participated in the Papal Mass at the Phoenix Park in August, bringing up one of the offertory gifts with her children.

Minister for Health Simon Harris said she “showed incredible bravery in fighting a terrible disease”.

“My thoughts are with her family, especially her five children, on this dreadful loss. We must beat this awful cancer through vaccination and screening. We will work to build a programme worthy of women like Emma.”

The Irish Patients’ Association said “she was tough in her advocacy and fair in her decision-making, and had an enduring sense of humour”.

“Not only did Emma face her illness and all of its challenges like a Celtic warrior, but she has also left a legacy for the women of Ireland long after this sad day has passed.”