Emma’s Appeal

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Emma Mhic Mathúna with her solicitor Cian O’Carroll at the High Court two weeks ago

Last night.

Following news that none of the 3,000 smear tests being reviewed as a consequence of the CervicalCheck scandal have yet been carried out….

Terminally ill mum-of-five Emma Mhic Mathúna, whose cervical cancer was diagnosed in 2016 following smear test incorrectly giving her the all-clear in 2013, made a public appeal for help from cytologists while also appealing for the use of a lab.

Emma learned last week that the cancer has spread to the left side of her brain and, two weeks ago, she settled her case against the HSE and US laboratory Quest Diagnostics for €7.5million.

All the money will be paid into the court for the benefit of her children.

Emma wrote on Facebook:

Can any cytologists, who can do some work, PM me. We need to get the 3000 slides done ASAP, there’s no point waiting for Cervical Check – we need to set this up ourselves . If any politician wants to help, I’ll be in Dublin on July 23 for two weeks, meet me. These ladies need the smears done now. I also need use of a lab if any university can let us use theirs until term resumes. Come on board. If anyone knows a lab for rent let me know also time for talking is over.

Previously: Unspeakable

Emma’s Story

Simon’s Memo

Pic: Emma Mhic Mathúna

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18 thoughts on “Emma’s Appeal

  1. mildred st. meadowlark

    What a brave woman. What a fighter. She’s an example to the rest of us.

    I hope that between Vicky Phelan and herself they set a fire under the HSE’s arse.

    1. Brother Barnabas

      i’m not sure if it’s inspiring or foreboding that we’re seemingly relying on courageous private individuals like emma mhic mathúna, maurice mccabe, vicky phelan etc to expose what’s going on behind the scenes in this country

      can only assume there are plenty of similar things passing undetected

      1. Bonkers

        And to think that Leo’s Fine Gael pal in Kerry wanted Emma to be a “government advocate” for the Cervical scandal. Typical Fine Gael, party before people always and forever

  2. Ronan

    While the intent is admirable, this is hardly as simple as borrowing a lab and getting a few part-time cytologists to do the audit. There are any number of quality controls and standards which first have to be set up and tested to create any sort of an accredited lab practice.

    The pressure is better applied to getting these reviews performed within the system. It’s more than likely an issue of putting pressure and money in the right place.

    1. Brother Barnabas

      “There are any number of quality controls and standards which first have to be set up and tested to create any sort of an accredited lab practice”

      how’s that been working out up to now? going well?

          1. Yep

            Tbf, I’d agree with you to a point. However, I Am bit a rape apologist. If you still consider me one show the proof.

            Or concede you were wrong. Straight forward.

            I would imagine you would have some ideas of how the labs could be managed better. Would it involve the same but only better? Insightful.

        1. dav

          I’m sure Ronan believes in the ministers for health policy of dragging dying women through the courts..

          1. Ronan

            Actually I don’t, as a friend of one of the 18 who have already died. That’s a stupid reaction, that because I think Emma’s idea is unworkable that I’m some sort of pro dept of health shill.

            The previous failure of quality controls is not a reason to go doing a private audit without quality controls.

  3. Daisy Chainsaw

    Jesus Christ! It shouldn’t be up to a dying woman to sort out the mess, but it’s very telling that it is.

    1. Giggidygoo

      Par for the course when it comes to FG unfortunately. Same as Bridig McCole. Emmas award – the judge said that an immediate payment should be made. Did that happen? No – she had to get a loan from a bank so that she can take a break with her family.

      1. realPolithicks

        FGFFLAB are always more concerned with looking like they are doing something than actually getting anything done.

  4. Cian

    From the linked article: Department of Health assistant secretary Tracey Conroy said:

    “It was never intended that the review would be completed before the Scally report, that was always likely to take four to six months,” she said. “We were clear to government on this. We are engaging on a daily basis and it is progressing very well but we are conscious of the need for good communication,” she said.

    So the government f-ed up and promised something that couldn’t be delivered. idiots.

  5. Giggidygoo

    No Cian – Harris and the government lied (in order for a quick fix to take immediate heat off themselves no doubt). I don’t call lying f’ing up. I call it lying. Plain and simple. Harris, Varadkar, Murphy just are not up to the requirements of senior posts. When a supposedly clever person (who reaches the position of a country’s Taoiseach) has to divert an answer to the question of whether he has been made aware of the problems outsourcing this to ‘his office’ shows how much he even thinks of himself.

    1. Cian

      As I say – they f-ed up. If the f-up was a mistake or a blatant lie is unknowable – and we will all decide (based on our bias) which to believe.

      On your second point, Varadkar is both an individual and “Taoiseach”. If he is asked if he was made aware of an issue this is actually two questions.
      1) was he, personally, made aware of the issue;
      2) was the Taoiseach’s office, made aware of the issue;
      and while he should be able to answer (1); he cannot be expected to be aware of all correspondence that goes to the office. This is true of any leader; in any party. So it would be the standard answer that any leader would give.

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