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CERVICALCHECK CAMPAIGNER Lynsey Bennett has died aged 34.
Bennett, who had two daughters aged 13 and eight, settled a case against the HSE last year over the reading of her cervical smear tests.
She had four smear tests between 2010 and 2016 but each time was told they were negative.
After her last smear test in 2016, she was told no abnormalities were found and she would be called for routine testing in three years time.
Eleven months later she went to her GP with bleeding, and in January 2017 she was diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer.
Bennett, from Ennybegs, Killoe, Co Longford, sued the HSE and two laboratories over her cervical smear slides taken under the national screening programme.
Her case was settled through mediation before it was due to start at the High Court.
Speaking outside court following the settlement last year, Bennett said: ”I stand here today extremely grateful to everyone who has supported me and the girls since my first diagnosis in 2017 – my family, friends, strangers, and of course my legal team.
“I send my love to all the women and their families who have fought and continue to fight our heartbreaking illness.
“I can now focus on my own fight to stay alive as long as I can.
“To my daughters, Zoe and Hailee, I hope I have done enough to secure you both a future free from financial worries and that even with me not here to guide you that you can both pursue your dreams and remember Mammy loves you.”
Bennett later said that she has “bigger battles to fight” after the State refused to admit liability in her case.
Appearing on The Late Late Show, Bennett encouraged women to go for their smear tests and said she didn’t have the choice of waiting around for the upcoming CervicalCheck Tribunal to receive an apology or compensation.
Singer Una Healy paid tribute to her “beautiful friend” on Instagram, writing: “I am heartbroken beyond words. I am so grateful for all the special memories we made together.”
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Very Sad. RIP
Absolutely tragic & needless. May she rest in peace & her legacy live on.
Devestating. Such a tragic waste of human life. Just saw the video of her outside the High Court where she secured a settlement for her daughters future last year knowing she wouldn’t live long herself. Heartbreaking stuff. RIP
Rest in Power Lysnsey. On Savitas 10th anniversary too. This country has let women down so badly.
@Ísla Carabine: yes it has. In so many ways. And continue to.
@Ísla Carabine: unfortunately this country has been letting women down for the last 100 years.
@Aidan Bergin: I’m sure there’s a few women that don’t feel that way
Rest in peace brave young lady. May your strength and love of all help your family through this difficult time.
This is so sad. RIP
Tragic, a needless loss of life because of failings, lies and cover ups from those in charge. Rest in peace Lynsey
Heartbreaking , another woman gone too soon . Smears should be done every year regardless of previous results. It’s better to keep checking than to try cure when it’s too late
RIP. Who is responsible?
@Jim O’Sullivan: Everyone and his dog knows.
@Shane McGrath: Enlighten me.
@Jim O’Sullivan: Maybe her smear test results were misread in the lab or someone made a mistake.
It is important that this is known so that other women don’t have the same experience.
@Jim O’Sullivan: the clowns in the circus who wanted to cut corners & outsourced cervical smears to labs that a questionable reputation already but no f***s were given
RIP.
Young, courageous and selfless. R.I.P.
Terrible and very sad RIP
Rest in Peace Lynsey, you were so young. Condolences to your family.
Tragic,RIP
Health care in Ireland is a lottery. Such a terrible waste of a young life. RIP
What a courageous woman , made the most of her short years helping others and protecting her family, a life far too short but so well lived, an inspiration may she go to her eternal reward.
Another woman let down by the system in this country
Very sad, RIP!
Heartbreaking
Such an unavoidable death of a beautiful young women with a huge chunk of life left to live, condolences to her family and friends and may she rest in peace.
Rest in peace Lynsey. Pity the author could not refer to you with the same respect she gave herself. You would not refer to a criminal like that.
@mary d murphy: what do you mean?
@mary d murphy: if you are referring to how she was afdressed, it is a journalistic convention to use a person’s full name on first mention and surname thereafter. The thinking being that to use 1st name is overly familiar for a foal setting like a news report.
https://www.dublininquirer.com/2020/06/24/sam-what-s-the-best-way-for-journalists-to-refer-to-sources-in-stories
May she rest in peace
Very sad. May she rest in peace. So much for “science”.
@Caoimhghin Whyte: Scientific procedures work really well when executed properly, and many people alive today can thank science for getting them this far, but when not executed correctly, tragedies like Lynsey’s occur. Condolences to her family, and may she rest in peace.
So sad
So sad
This is very sad. Such a beautiful young woman. May she rest in peace.
Your journalist is very disrespectful by addressing the deceased young lady several times by her surname…. have some respect Journal.RIP Lynsey
That’s very sad. RIP
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