A 32-year-old mother of two who is seriously ill with cervical cancer has said she plans to explore many treatment options in order to “stay here for as long as I can”.
Earlier this week, Lynsey Bennett settled her High Court action over the alleged misinterpretation of her cervical smear slides.
Ms Bennett said she is not looking too far into the future, but she is examining different treatment plans.
“I’m trying to have backup plans for treatment to try and stay alive. I’m trying to go way into finding everything. I plan to try and stay here for as long as I can, absolutely. I’m not delusional but I’m hopeful,” she told RTÉ’s Late Late Show on Friday night.
Ms Bennett said she intends to fly to Mexico on Tuesday for four weeks for treatment, following a fundraising drive by friends.
However, she was also informed on Friday that she will be able to avail of the immunotherapy drug Pembro.
“I paid €2,500 to get my biopsies tested [for Pembro suitability]. The higher the levels are of it, the more chance you have of immunotherapy working. Some of my levels of my tumour were 95 per cent. Others were 35 or 40 per cent and that, but some of them were 95 per cent. It’s so worth trying,” she said.
“Unfortunately, it’s taken a really big push to get a phone call, finally, today, to be told that I can have it, which is why I had actually organised to go to Mexico for treatment instead.”
Bigger battle ahead
Asked about receiving an apology from the Government and the State, Ms Bennett said she could not control the actions or words of others.
“The magic words seem to be ‘deep regret’ and I find it kind of funny because growing up, for me, sorry is the word that you’re supposed to say, and you explain why you’re saying sorry,” she said.
“I can only control myself. I cannot control how other people act. I can’t let it bring me down, I’ve got bigger battles to fight.”
Ms Bennett also pleaded with women to avail of smear tests.
“ I know unfortunately I was let down by mine, but it saves lives,” she added.
Ms Bennett, from Ennybegs, Killoe, Co Longford, had sued the HSE, Dublin testing laboratory Eurofins Biomnis Ireland Ltd and US lab Quest Diagnostics Inc after she contracted aggressive cervical cancer despite having four smear tests between 2010 and 2016.
She settled her High Court action for an undisclosed sum.
