Vicky Phelan has expressed her thanks to Donegal poet Denise Blake for penning a powerful tribute to her strength.

For Vicky, a poem by Denise Blake, aired on RTE Radio 1’s Sunday Miscellany yesterday. The words shine a light on Vicky’s ‘superwoman courage’ and share how Denise, and many other women, believe that she deserves to be treated like royalty for her steely determination to expose the Cervical Check scandal. Listen to the full reading here: https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22062618/

Upon hearing the poem, Vicky issued a message of gratitude to Denise, saying she will cherish it forever.

The mother-of-two said she is “facing into a new unknown” as she starts a new round of radiotherapy treatment today. The campaigner also gained a lift from an open letter by Róisín Glynn Steed in the Sunday Independent, and tweeted that she was “buoyed up” by both Denise and Róisín’s beautiful pieces.

Vicky finished her social media post by writing to all her well-wishers: “And to everyone in Ireland and abroad who has sent me messages wishing me well over the coming weeks, THANK YOU ALL. Today has shown me just how much love there is out there for me and I take NONE of it for granted.”