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Tag Archives: HPV

First anniversary of Laura Brennan’s passing

Today (March 20) marks the first anniversary of the death of HPV vaccine campaigner, Laura Brennan. The 26 year old Ennis woman lost her battle with terminal cancer having emerged, during her illness, as one of Ireland’s leading patient advocates and campaigners for the HPV vaccine. In a statement this morning on social media, the Brennan family paid tribute to their daughter and sister. “We remember with love our daughter and sister Laura, on this the first anniversary of her passing from us. The last twelve months has seen the HPV uptake rate nationally increase from the initial drop of 51% to 80%, while in county Clare the increase has been 90%. In addition the vaccine has been extended to first year boys in secondary schools. The support from schools, sporting organisations, businesses and the media towards the HPV Jersey Campaign has exceeded 10,000,” the statement read. “As regards the HPV vaccine, it has been extended to the UK, USA, …

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Laura laid to rest in Ennis

THE late Laura Brennan was remembered very fondly at a service of remembrance in Ennis Cathedral on Wednesday afternoon. Laura’s father Larry paid tribute “to the many people who have supported the family including, the people of Ennis who have wrapped their arms around us since Laura went public with her campaign.” The cathedral was packed and heard from chief celebrant, Fr Pat Malone that Laura “is testimony to a great truth, that one person can make a difference.” Among the hundreds of people who attended were Colonel Liam Condon, Aide de Camp to President Michael D Higgins, Caroline Burke, Aide de Camp to An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, Health Minister, Simon Harris and RTE broadcaster, Ryan Tubridy. They heard Laura described by Fr Malone as “a selfless giver who spent her energy to her last so that others may be spared the ill health that she experienced.” Laura had been laid to rest earlier in Drumcliff Cemetery in Ennis at …

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Book of Condolence opened in memory of Laura

CLARE County Council has opened a Book of Condolence in memory of Laura Brennan, RIP, in the public foyer of Áras Contae an Chláir, Ennis. The Mayor of Clare, Councillor Michael Begley, has invited members of the public to sign the book and join people from all over Ireland and beyond in marking Laura’s legacy as “an inspiring and courageous advocate and ambassador for the HPV Vaccination Programme.” “Many knew Laura for her advocacy work in favour of the HPV Vaccine after receiving a diagnosis of terminal cervical cancer.  To those who knew Laura personally however, it was her courage and her amazing positivity that defined her,” said Mayor Begley. He continued, “When Laura first approached the HSE in 2017, she made it clear that every parent in Ireland who was about to make the decision whether their daughter was to be vaccinated against HPV, would hear her story first.  Laura’s story was most certainly heard when she appeared on …

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HPV campaigner Laura Brennan dies

HPV vaccine campaigner Laura Brennan has lost her battle with terminal cancer on Wednesday. The Ennis woman who had become one of Ireland’s leading patient advocates and campaigners for the HPV vaccine passed away on Wednesday at University Hospital Limerick. In a statement the Brennan family said, “Laura was a light in the life of everyone who knew her; a wonderful daughter, sister and friend. We are lost without her. “We are all incredibly proud of the work she did in the last 18 months to help protect other young women like herself from the cancer that has taken her life today. Laura used her voice, her generosity and her energy to help parents to make informed choices and protect their daughters from cervical cancer. She wanted to make a difference, and use the time that she had to right what she felt was a great wrong.” The family have appealed for privacy. Funeral arrangements are yet to be finalised. …

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Ennis woman fronts Europe wide HPV campaign

Ennis woman Laura Brennan is fronting a European campaign encouraging parents to get the facts and vaccinate their children against HPV. Laura, 26, was diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer in 2017 has been working with the HSE to advocate for the vaccine. Last year, Laura was invited by the World Health Organisation to be an advocate across Europe and to mark World Cancer Day on February 4, a video is being released by the WHO. The video features Laura at home in Clare with her family and travelling to University Hospital Limerick for treatment, as well as on a trip to Copenhagen for meeting with the WHO. “This illness is devastating and it’s going to take my life but the good news is there’s a vaccine that you can get that prevents it. HPV caused my cancer. I just wanted parents to know there is an alternative,” says Laura Laura was too old to get the vaccine when it was …

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alphonsus cullinan, bishop of waterford

29% Drop in Uptake of HPV vaccine in Clare

There has been a 29% drop in the uptake of the free Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination programme for girls in County Clare since it commenced in 2010, according to figures released by the HSE. Provisional figures show that the uptake of the vaccine in the county is 10% above the national average at just slightly below 60%, but this has fallen from 89% since the vaccine programme was first introduced. This reduction is something that has not been helped by the comments made by, and later retracted, by Bishop of Waterford Alphonsus Cullinan, who is originally from Lahinch, according to a HSE spokesperson. Bishop Cullinan was quoted in the media last week suggesting that the vaccine would encourage promiscuity. In an interview with WLR (Waterford Local Radio), he preached abstinence, stating the vaccine was “lulling teenage girls into a false sense of security”. “We have to do better than giving our boys condoms and our girls injections,” he said. …

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