'Lynsey had an amazing will to live': Vicky Phelan pays tribute to Lynsey Bennett
Form Invasive In Bennett With Lynsey Courts Was Of 2017 An Cancer Diagnosed Collins Picture: Cervical
Tributes are being paid to Lynsey Bennett who has passed away aged 34. She is survived by her daughters Zoe, 13, and Hailee, 8, and her father Coote.
Ms Bennett, who was from Longford, was diagnosed with an invasive form of cervical cancer in 2017. She settled her High Court action over the alleged misinterpretation of her cervical smear slides in 2021.
In a statement outside the Four Courts at the time she said: “To my daughters Zoe and Hailee, I hope I have done enough to secure you both a future free of financial worries and that even with me not here to guide you, you can both pursue your dreams."
She cried as she said: “And always remember, Mammy loves you. X”
Solicitor Gillian O'Mahony confirmed Ms Bennett's death in a statement.
"It is with great sadness that the family of Lynsey Bennett wish to announce that Lynsey passed away peacefully last night. Lynsey was a very special person," she said.
"Lynsey’s beautiful girls, father, sisters, family and friends are heartbroken at the passing of Lynsey at the young age of 34 years and would appeal for privacy at the moment."
Ms Bennett's funeral will take place at 12pm on Monday in St.John’s Church, Battery Road, Longford, with a service on Sunday at Glennon’s Funeral Home, Ballinalee Road from 5pm.
Fellow CervicalCheck campaigner Vicky Phelan has paid tribute to Ms Bennett on Instagram this evening saying "Lynsey had an amazing will to live."
She wrote: "I am very late posting a tribute to @lynseybennettofficial here today because I am not well myself and spent most of the day out at the hospital having a procedure done.
"That, unfortunately, is the reality of living with late stage cervical cancer as Lynsey would have known only too well these last few months of her very short life, at only 34 years of age.
"I am thinking today of Lynsey's two beautiful girls, Zoe and Hailee, who are so very young to have their mother taken away from them.
"I would also like to sympathise with Lynsey's family and friends. I am so very sorry for your loss.
"Lynsey had an amazing will to live which no doubt kept her alive for as long as she did beyond the 6 month prognosis that she was given.
"Her daughters were able to get some extra precious time to spend with their Mam and make some more memories that they will treasure.
Campaigner Stephen Teap also shared an emotional tribute to Ms Bennett on social media, describing her as a "beautiful person and mother".
"Overwhelmed with emotions at the shock of learning of the passing of the beautiful person and mother that was Lynsey Bennett," he wrote.
Singer Una Healy, who was a close friend of Ms Bennett, said she was "heartbroken beyond words".
"I am so grateful for all the special memories we made together. Always in my heart, forever in my soul. Life is so precious and you lived and loved it to the fullest," Ms Healy wrote.
"Rest in peace my beautiful friend. My thoughts are with your family and friends especially your babies Zoë and Hailee."
Earlier this year, Ms Bennett told Ireland AM she was told she only had six to eight months to live in November 2020.
"To still be here over a year on and be good is just mind-blowing," she said. She also opened up about speaking to her two daughters, Zoe and Hailee, about her condition.
"I have been so honest with them from the start, but in the most gentle way that I could.
“Unfortunately, Hailee's friend's mum died suddenly at Christmas and she's been so scared ever since. She was going to her dad's there two weekends ago and going out the door hugging me goodbye she just turned around and goes 'I hope you don't die'.
“She realises now that mammies do die’, Ms Bennett said.
Sharing the conversation she had with her youngest, Lynsey said she told Hailee that “no one knows when they have to go to heaven” and she can’t promise how long she’s going to be here. “The only thing I can promise is that I’m trying my best."
Ms Bennett shared her experience living with cancer through an Instagram page, Cancer With Gratitude, which has almost 65,000 followers. Her last post on the platform was on Sept 2 and she described the support she was receiving from hospital staff as well as her joy at her daughters moving into second year of secondary school and third class in primary school.
She added a "massive thank you" to those following her page for "messages, checking in, sending love." She said she was "forever grateful" for their support.