Co Armagh mum of four Erin Harbinson dies from cancer after three misread smear tests
Tributes have been paid after the death of a woman whose case was among those which sparked a major review into thousands of misread smear results in the Southern Trust.
Erin Harbinson, a mother of four from County Armagh, tragically died of cervical cancer after three of her smear tests were misread in a decade.
Erin's passed away at her home on Saturday. Her loved ones described her as "a fearless and determined woman" and "a loving and caring mother".
Speaking exclusively to UTV in April 2024, Erin said she felt the system which was supposed to protect her had, in a way, led to her death.
She said she was told to not think the disease was her fault or the fault of anyone else and that cancer was "just one of them things".
"I came out thinking, no, this is somebody's fault. They did this to me. They've killed me in a way they’ve taken my life away," she said.
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust offered its condolences after Erin's passing.
It previously apologised for the failures in Erin's care and disclosed her case was among those which led to the review of 17,500 women's smear test results.
Erin joined the Ladies with Letters group who met with then Health Minister Robin Swann to discuss their case.
New Health Minister Mike Nesbitt offered his sincere condolences to Erin's family and friends.
In a statement he said Erin campaigned tirelessly for those with cancer and will always be remembered as a strong advocate for cervical screening. He confirmed he would also be meeting the Ladies with Letters group in early September. Erin's family insist a public enquiry is the only way to get to the bottom of what went so tragically wrong. A spokesperson for the Southern Trust said: "We are so sorry to hear about the sad passing of Erin and extend our sincerest condolences to her husband, children and broader family circle.
"We continue to work in partnership with the Public Health Agency and other Trusts on the Cervical Cytology Review which should be completed in September 2024."
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