ORLA CHURCH, A woman who was impacted by the CervicalCheck scandal, has died.

Church, from Beaumont in Dublin, died at the Mater Private Hospital today. 

She first spoke to RTÉ’s Liveline back in April, when she explained that she developed symptoms in 2015 and was diagnosed with cervical cancer. In May that year, she saw a private gynaecologist who discovered a very large tumour.

Orla had received false negatives on her smear tests in 2011 and 2014 and was dealing with Dr Gabriel Scally to assist with his scoping review. 

“We have just learned with great sadness of the death of Orla Church, a member of the 221+ CervicalCheck Patient Support Group,” a statement from the group said. 

We offer deepest sympathy to her entire family and friends at this very difficult and sad time.

Many of us got to meet and know Orla in the past months and she was just such a wonderfully courageous, strong and inspiring person. She campaigned tirelessly on behalf of all us affected by the CervicalCheck debacle and we are and will continue to be so grateful to her for this outstanding work. 

“All of us in the 221+ CervicalCheck Patient Support Group will be thinking about Orla’s family in the coming days and will be available to assist them in any way we can.” 

RTÉ reported earlier this week that Church had agreed to mediation talks in a legal action she had taken over the alleged misinterpretation of her CervicalCheck smear tests.