'She started the process, and she's now handed it over to us': Stephen Teap vows to continue Vicky's campaign
And Vicky Brian Lawless/pa Stephen Phelan Wire File Teap Picture:
CervicalCheck campaigner Stephen Teap has vowed to continue the campaign started by Vicky Phelan, saying that her death has left "a massive empty space" beside her family and friends that may never again be filled.
Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Teap, whose wife Irene died of cervical cancer in 2017 said that the reality of the loss of Vicky Phelan has only just begun to begun to set in.
"We're now waking up to the realisation that our friend is no longer at the end of that phone, our friend won't be returning our calls anymore," he said.
Mr Teap said that though he had not seen Ms Phelan in person for some time given their family commitments and her battle against her cancer, they had stayed in regular contact via WhatsApp.
He said that having her as a friend for the past few years meant a great deal to him and his family.
"We had a great friendship. Anyone that's met Vicky knows too well what an incredible personality she had, and how easy it is to talk to her. Everybody is going to miss her an awful lot."
Somewhere along the way he had been “blindsided by Vicky’s strength” and had forgotten that this day would come.
Mr Teap said the first time he became aware of Vicky Phelan was April 25, 2018, the day on which she stood on the steps of the High Court in Dublin after winning her case.
He said her actions that day demonstrated massive strength, courage and compassion.
"She had the courage to turn against the system and say 'no, you're not going to silence me, and I will take you on.'
"What drove her to do all that was knowing that there were so many others like her, including my late wife Irene and many others," he said.
"That was the first time that I would have seen her."
Mr Teap said he reached out to her, and the pair met at Limerick Junction aboard the Cork to Dublin train en route to the Public Accounts Committee in Leinster House a couple of weeks later.
"We just hit it off from day one."
In her meetings with politicians and health officials, Mr Teap said Vicky Phelan was always full of passion and drive.
"She would walk into a room, and everybody stood to attention — she had that personality. She would do it with that beautiful personality and that cheeky grin that she has.
"She was a warrior but at the same time she was the gentlest of souls, and that always came out. She could be fierce, but she was the kindest person you could ever meet."
Mr Teap told RTÉ's that he and his fellow CervicalCheck campaigners would continue Vicky Phelan's work and her fight for transparency for as long as it takes.
"There is an awful lot of work to be done today. There's still a shift in that culture within our healthcare system that needs to be changed, there's still a minority within the system that try and hold it up
"She started the process, and she's now handed it over to us, and there's plenty of us here," he added.