Stephen Teap named man of the year for ‘trailblazing’ work
A father of two who has advocated for improved cancer screening after it emerged that his wife died arising out of deficiencies in CervicalCheck has received the Irish Tatler magazine man of the year award.
Stephen Teap from Carrigaline, Co Cork, has expressed his appreciation for the support he has received since the death of his wife Irene.
Upon receiving the award, Mr Teap tweeted: “I don’t view this @IrishTatlerMan award as an achievement but more as a recognition of the path I choose to influence change on the back of this #CervicalCheckScandal and get the answers we all deserve.”
Irish Tatler gave the award to Mr Teap for his “trailblazing social activism”, saying that his “tireless dedication to the Cervical Cancer campaign moves us all.”
Mr Teap was congratulated on his award by Limerick woman Vicky Phelan who was instrumental in making public the failures in the cervical cancer screening system when she took a case for justice in the courts system. In a tweet, she said she was very happy for Stephen.
“You deserve this award for your tireless campaigning and for what you have achieved for women’s health. Irene would be so proud of you.”
Irene Teap was diagnosed with stage two cancer in 2015, following two false negative smear tests in 2010 and 2013. She passed away in July of last year at the age of just 35.
Prior to her death she wrote a blog entitled Fierce and Fighting. In her last blog entry two months before she died she wrote of bringing her two young children, Oscar and Noah, on a family trip to Disneyland. In the entry she said the trip gave her “memories”. She described her boys’ smiling faces as “the very best medicine”.
Since her death her husband has fought for improvements in cancer screening.
Meanwhile, Women’s Lives Matter has called on the people of Cork to join a rally at Bishop Lucey Park in the city at 3pm today.
