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Vicky Phelan to receive honorary doctorate from University of Limerick

Vicky Phelan to receive honorary doctorate from University of Limerick

Ms Phelan's case brought the Cervical Check scandal to national attention in April.

The 43-year-old mother of two, who is terminally ill, settled a case against a US lab for for €2.5 million after being wrongly informed in 2011 that she had the all clear.

Three years later, a review found the results were incorrect.

She was diagnosed with cervical cancer around the same time, but she only found out about that review last year.

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Her case prompted further revelations about the cervical screening programme, and Ms Phelan herself has continued campaigning to highlight the scandal.

University of Limerick said in a Facebook post: "Vicky, who is a graduate and former employee of UL, will be conferred with an honorary doctorate of letters on Tuesday, June 26, in recognition of her exceptional commitment to improving women’s healthcare in Ireland."

A spokesperson for the university told the Limerick Leader newspaper that Vicky has shown "tremendous courage and determination".

Speaking before a Dáil committee last month, the terminally-ill Ms Phelan said she was 'not interested in revenge' over the Cervical Check scandal.

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She told deputies: "I want to see accountability and I would like to see a legacy that this will never happen again to any woman, man or child in this country. This is not just an issue for women. This is affecting men and children who are without their wives and their mothers. I never want to see this happen again.

"If I do die, I do not want it to be in vain. I want to make sure that protocols put in place, that there are sanctions for people who make these mistakes and that they are held accountable."

She has also called for the HSE to be overhauled "from the ground up".

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