Heartbreaking Brave mum Lynsey Bennett reveals she has planned her own funeral

Gravely-ill mother-of-two Lynsey Bennett said while she remains hopeful she will survive her terminal cervical cancer diagnosis, she has nevertheless planned her own funeral.

The 32-year-old Co Longford woman, who this week settled her High Court action over the alleged misinterpretation of her cervical smear slides, gave an emotional but upbeat interview on RTÉ’s The Late Late Show last night in which she revealed she has chosen Van Morrison’s ‘Days Like This' to be played at her funeral.

Speaking to host Ryan Tubridy, she said the song – especially Irish singer Dermot Kennedy’s version – resonates with her.

And she wants the hopeful message it conveys to be passed on to her two daughters Zoe (12) and Hailee (7).

"I’ve installed in the girls that there will be days like this,” she said.

"And if mummy’s not there to remind you, you put on that song,” she said to remind them of the good memories they shared.

Ms Bennett also revealed she is planning to fly to Mexico on Tuesday for a four-week treatment there she hopes may halt the spread of her cancer which has since spread throughout her body. She thanked friends and supporters who raised money for the treatment through a GoFund Me campaign as well as a tractor run by locals.

And while she has no illusions over her prognosis, she said: “I plan to stay here for as long as I can. I’m not delusional, but I’m hopeful.”

Ms Bennett, whose mother also died of cancer, said she hopes the undisclosed settlement she received this week will at least ease any financial worries her daughters may face in the future.

She sued the HSE, Irish testing laboratory, Eurofins Biomnis Ireland Ltd, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin and US laboratory Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, New Jersey for a series of smear tests that allegedly gave her the all-clear despite the fact that she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in January 2017.

The claims were denied by the respondents.

The settlement was reached after mediation into the night. The details of the settlement are confidential.

Despite her own experience, she is urging all women go have regular smear tests.

"You have to go for your smears. Unfortunately, I know I was let down by mine but it saves lives,” she said.

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