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Dublin mum with ‘limited life expectancy’ issues powerful message as she gets apology for ‘failings’ in cancer diagnosis
Jun 3, 2025
A YOUNG Dublin mum-of-two with incurable cancer has received an apology in court from the HSE over the "failings" which led to her diagnosis.
Hairdresser Leona Macken, 38, had sued over two cervical smear tests.
Medical expert evidence claimed that her 2016 and 2020 smear tests should not have been reported as negative.
Ms Macken took legal action from what she said were failures in the CervicalCheck screening programme in 2016 and 2020.
Today an apology was read to the High Court as the young mum, and her husband, Alan, settled a High Court action against the HSE.
The High Court heard how the hair stylist from Artane, Dublin, was diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer in June 2023 and underwent radical surgery followed by postoperative chemoradiotherapy.
Despite intensive treatment, recurrence of her cancer was diagnosed in March 2025 and has advanced to stage four.
The High Court heard how Ms Macken, a mother of two young daughters, now has incurable metastatic cancer.
Speaking outside the Four Courts, Ms Macken welcomed the apology made “after two misdiagnosed smears”.
But the mam warned that it was “not good enough” that shocking failings were still happening after the late Vicky Phelan’s fight to expose the cervical cancer screening scandal.
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She said: “I am fighting this since 2023 . I started asking questions and thank God I did.
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