The Stunning to pay musical tribute to Vicky Phelan on The Late Late Show

Irish band The Stunning are set to pay tribute to the late cervical cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan on Friday's The Late Late Show following her death earlier this week.

In April 2018, Phelan settled a High Court action for €2.5m with Clinical Pathology Labs US, without admission of liability. The Waterford native had undergone a smear test in 2011 showing no abnormalities, before her diagnosis three years later.

She underwent aggressive treatment - radiation, chemotherapy and brachytherapy - and was eventually given the all-clear. In September 2017, during a routine checkup, her gynaecologist told her that an audit carried out by CervicalCheck found her 2011 smear test had been reported as a false negative.

Weeks later, a CT scan revealed her cancer had returned, and this time was delivered a terminal diagnosis. Left alone with her patient file, she flipped it open and quickly realised something was wrong relating to her smear history and CervicalCheck and contacted a lawyer.

In April 2018, Vicky was outside the Four Courts making an explosive statement to awaiting journalists. A political and medical crisis ensued.

The 48-year-old's fight continues after her tragic passing, especially on the issue of the State's dragging of terminally ill women through the courts for accountability. In 2018, Phelan was clear to outline the problems that needed to be most urgently addressed, and at the top of that list was open disclosure to patients.

“I was diagnosed in July 2014. It took a full two years to decide to communicate this to clinicians, so it was July 2016 before CervicalCheck communicated my particular case to my gynaecologist. Then there was 15 months of correspondence between the head of CervicalCheck and my gynaecologist about whose responsibility it was to tell me, 15 months of them deciding, ‘you tell her’, ‘no you tell her’, before he finally told me in September 2017.”

In 2018, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar promised: “What we propose to do is to offer mediation in every case so that women can avoid having to go to court and the trauma of a court hearing.”

The current Government entered talks with the 221 Plus support group on the structure but in November of 2020 those talks collapsed. The group had a number of concerns about how the tribunal would work. In a letter sent to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, the group said it saw “no point in continuing this process”. They told their members there is “nothing for them in the tribunal that isn’t available in the High Court”. Only 25 claims have been made to the tribunal, which is no longer receiving applications. More than 360 legal claims have been brought to the courts.

The Stunning will remember Vicky in a special musical performance dedicated to one of the band's biggest fans. Vicky Phelan is survived by her two children, Amelia (16) and Darragh (10).

13-year-old Dubliner Alisha Weir will talk her role alongside Emma Thompson, in the upcoming movie version of Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical.

With the controversial Qatar World Cup kicking off on Sunday, former Ireland international Eamon Dunphy will tell Ryan Tubridy why he feels deeply uncomfortable about the upcoming tournament and why it’s time for football to take a stand.

Two-time Golden Globe winner, Hollywood icon Jane Seymour will join Ryan live in studio to chat about her love of Ireland and what we can expect from Season 2 of TV dramedy Harry Wild.

The show will have music from Athy’s Jack L (aka Jack Lukeman), where he will perform 'Sundogs in the Moonshine'.

The Late Late Show airs on RTÉ One this Friday, November 18th at 9:35pm.