Family of woman who died after 'misread' smear test supports calls for inquiry
Relatives of Louise Corbett Gibbons, who died of cervical cancer in 2008, join campaigners urging a public inquiry into Northern Ireland's cervical screening service.
The family of Louise Corbett Gibbons, who died of cervical cancer in 2008 at the age of 24, is backing calls for a public inquiry into Northern Ireland's cervical screening service. Gibbons' death is not directly linked to the Southern Health Trust scandal, which came to light three years ago, but her widower Neville Gibbons and aunt Joy Fairley have joined campaigners in advocating for broader investigations.
The Southern Trust scandal prompted a review of smear tests dating back to 2008, leading to 17,500 women being asked to have their results rechecked. Campaigners, known as the Ladies with Letters, argue that the issues may extend beyond the Southern Trust and that a statutory public inquiry is necessary.
Neville Gibbons described the period after Louise's diagnosis as incredibly difficult, recounting their marriage just weeks before her death. "Like, watching your wife in a wheelchair and knowing she's going to be dead in a few weeks," he told BBC News NI. He stated that Louise's family had been told her smear test was misread but that "she would have passed away anyway," a sentiment the family found difficult to accept.
Enda McGarrity, a solicitor representing the Ladies with Letters, emphasized that concerns about cervical screening performance may not be confined to the Southern Trust. "So at the very least, there should be an investigation into whether these issues were replicated in other trusts," McGarrity stated, adding that the matter warrants further investigation.
Previously, former Health Minister Mike Nesbitt ruled out a public inquiry. However, campaigners like Heather Thompson and Tracey Bell, who were part of the Ladies with Letters group that met with assembly members at Stormont, are renewing their efforts. Thompson expressed that Louise's case deeply affected the group, raising fears of other similar experiences. Bell indicated that a meeting with Health Minister Robbie Butler is scheduled for next month, expressing hope that he will consider the experiences of affected women and families.