Vicky Phelan returns to Ireland for palliative care as new tumours halt US treatment

The CervicalCheck campaigner hopes her new treatment will keep her alive until at least Christmas

CervicalCheck campaigner Vicky Phelan will be taking a social media break over the coming weeks as she begins her new treatment and spends time with her family.

Vicky Phelan has shared devastating news that she will no longer be receiving treatment in the US following the discovery of new tumours.

Taking to Instagram, Vicky told her followers she is no longer eligible for proton beam therapy as the new tumours are far too advanced.

“Unfortunately, following a PET scan which my radiation oncologist at Georgetown University Hospital ordered, I have some new tumours.

“I have two new tumours in my neck but the worrying one is a new tumour on my bowel....

“This means that I am no longer eligible for proton beam therapy since my tumours are far too extensive, i.e. I have too much disease in my body for them to zap,” she said.

The medical team at Georgetown University Hospital in Maryland recommended that Vicky return home to receive palliative chemotherapy.

“All of this happened over the space of a few days when decisions had to be made very quickly.

With a very heavy heart, I made the decision to return home to Ireland.

“I returned home earlier this week and am taking the time to reconnect with my kids and to absorb this news before I start down the chemotherapy road,” Ms Phelan said.

In “good news” Vicky has said she hopes this new treatment will keep her alive for Christmas.

The 'good' news is that I can still have treatment and that this treatment will keep me alive until Christmas at least.

“The bad news is that the treatment I am about to start on is extremely toxic and will take its toll on my body and my mind,” she said.

The CervicalCheck campaigner will be taking a social media break over the coming weeks as she begins her new treatment and spends time with her family.

“I will only post very sporadically. As always, I would like to thank you all so very much for your support, your kindness, your generosity, your prayers and positive messages which continue to lift me and keep me going.”