Film at glór with Access Cinema: Vicky

Directed by Sasha King | Documentary | Ireland, 202 |87 mins │NOT SUBTITLED

In 2018 on the steps of the High Court in Dublin, Vicky Phelan gave a now infamous address where she exposed one of the worst women’s health scandals in Irish History, the Cervical Check debacle. VICKY is a profound and intimate journey into not only her fight to expose the truth of what happened for all
women but also her own personal fight to stay alive.

An inspiring story of courage, hope and resilience, VICKY takes audiences behind the headlines of the CervicalCheck debacle and Vicky Phelan’s journey to expose one of the greatest health scandals in Ireland’s history. Following discovery that her smear test results were incorrect, a fact that had been deliberately withheld from her, Vicky realised there had to be other women similarly affected as her. She took on the system, all the way to the High Court settling her case, with no admission of liability on the part of the laboratory or health services. However she resolutely refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement, and undeterred despite her own devastating diagnosis, she vowed to fight for justice on behalf of all those affected. It was later discovered that hundreds of women were misdiagnosed and could have benefitted from earlier treatment. Over twenty women have since died. A true ‘latter day warrior Queen’, Vicky’s selfless courage in the service of others has changed the course of healthcare for Irish women and exemplifies what one person can achieve when they use their voice for the greater good.

Produced with the support of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland

My reason for blowing the lid on the CervicalCheck scandal was to ensure that my daughter inherits a healthcare system that won’t fail her as it did me.”
Vicky