A SERIOUSLY ill Limerick mother has had her court case arising from a false negative smear tests put back until September.
Ruth Morrissey (37) from Monaleen is suing the HSE and the US owned Laboratory Quest Diagnostics Ireland Ltd with offices at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin, along with Medlab Pathology Ltd with offices at the Sandyford Business Park in Dublin.
Ms Morrissey claims she developed cervical cancer which doctors have said is inoperable. She had received the all-clear from two smear tests and not being told that the false negatives had come to light two years earlier.
Doctors have warned that she may have as little as a year to live, although the High Court heard this week that she is responding well to treatment which has shrunk the size of her cancer.
Meanwhile, the Limerick woman who lifted the lid on the cervical smear scandal, Vicky Phelan was due to meet with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar this Wednesday to ask him why he is not keeping his promise that women affected by the scandal will not have to go to court.
“There is no leadership in this, in protecting people like Ruth who is very, very sick, who should not be dragged to court”.
Legal representatives for the laboratories had requested an adjournment until November after a matter of sensitive documents was raised.
Ms Morrissey’s barrister, Ciara McGoldrick said her client wanted the case to go ahead asking for it to resume on August 12.
She said the proceedings were “very traumatic” for Ms Morrissey but she was entitled to have the proceedings when she has the capacity to take part fully.
Mr Justice Kevin Cross ruled that the November date was unfair and set a date of September 18 for the hearing to resume.
The Limerick woman’s solicitor Cian O’Carroll warned this week that the prognosis is not good.
“If someone wishes to die in the home, then end of life care has to be put in place,” he said. He explained that this would require an extension to the Morrissey family home with a bedroom equipped with hoists. This would have to be big enough to accommodate a hospital bed and an adjoining wet room.
“These are all practicalities and it all takes time to put in place. Planning alone will take three months,” he explained.
