The family of campaigner Laura Brennan are urging all first-year students to get the life-saving HPV vaccination.
The HSE is now rolling out HPV vaccination programme for first-year secondary school boys and girls.
Speaking at the launch this morning, Ms Brennan’s brother, Kevin Brennan, said: “Laura poured herself into this campaign, knowing every time she told her story, it had a potential to save a life.”
He said the rollout of the HPV vaccine to all first-year students is a “bittersweet day” as his sister would still be here if she had been vaccinated.
Speaking six months after her death from cervical cancer, Mr Brennan said with high uptake the HPV vaccine has the potential to save 112 lives each year.
After a drop in uptake the numbers of girls getting vaccinated increased again last year and is now at 70%.
Health Minister Simon Harris remembered and thanked Ms Brennan but warned parents to steer clear of “pseudo-science and the tweet machine” which often spread false information about what he said is a life saving vaccine.
