There has been a huge breakthrough in cancer treatment and it’s thanks to Vicky Phelan

The cancer survivor has campaigned to make Pembrolizumab, the drug that was beneficial in her treatment, readily available to cervical cancer sufferers.

She described it as "the best Christmas present she could receive" as after extensive campaigning, Vicky Phelan has secured assurance from Minister for Health Simon Harris that the drug she used to treat her cervical cancer will be given to all eligible sufferers. In a tweet thanking the minister along with Claire Byrne, labour Spokesperson for Health, Alan Kelly and Professor Michael Barry, Vicky announced the progressive news.

This is the best Christmas present I could get this year. Thank you to @alankellylabour and @ClaireByrneLive for working with me on this. Thank you @SimonHarrisTD and Prof Barry for making this happen. https://t.co/UQHlIrHVso

— Vicky Phelan (@PhelanVicky) December 15, 2018

221 women were affected by the CervicalCheck controversy which saw false negative results delivered to patients under the national screening programme. Among them was Vicky Phelan who settled a High Court case against the HSE and one of the laboratories used, Clinical Pathology Laboratories (CPL), earlier this year. The Irish Times reported that 43-year-old Vicky "initially paid out of her own pocket for Pembrolizumab, which costs €8,500 per infusion every three weeks." Pembrolizumab significantly reduced the size of her tumours and earlier this month the mum of two said:

"I am evidence that this drug works."

Mr Harris told RTÉ:

"I’ve spoken to Michael this morning and they hope to be in a position to make this drug available to all women with cervical cancer for whom it’s clinically suitable very shortly."

Vicky is due to speak on the Claire Byrne show at 10:35 pm on RTÉ One tonight.