A BRAVE mum who is urging the Government to give cervical cancer vaccines to her young daughters will start chemotherapy next Monday -- in a final bid to stay alive.

Michelle Fitzpatrick (42) was told by doctors last month that there is no cure for her cervical cancer, but she hopes the treatment will give her more time with her partner Robbie and her five children.

"I'm going for chemo on Monday, and I'm looking forward to it -- anything at all that might improve things for me," said Michelle, originally from the Liberties in Dublin.

It gives me a little bit more time, and that's what I want," said Michelle, who now lives with her family in Strokestown, Co Roscommon.

"I had my hair shaved off on Saturday. The chemo will probably go on as long as I'm around -- it's not like the last chemo, which was a six-week session."

Michelle is on painkillers for her cancer and a hernia which she developed after her major operation on November 5, where doctors found that her disease had spread to the pelvic area and her lymph nodes.

"I got a hernia and the pain of it kills me," she said. "The doctor told me that I was up too quick after the surgery and that's how you can develop one. It gives me great trouble and it pains me more than the cancer did."

Drowsy

Michelle fears that she is missing out on her children's lives already, since the medication is making her drowsy.

Her partner Robbie and children Rachel (20), Amy (17), John (15), Mia (10) and Gemma (2) were all treated to dinner with their mum by a local restaurant, but Michelle was unable to fully enjoy the occasion.

"A Chinese down the town gave us a gift voucher but I fell asleep at the table, and it took Robbie 20 minutes to wake me, and my curry went cold."

She added: "If I'm at home after dinner, I'm asleep. When I wake up, everyone's gone to bed and I lose out. I was always on the go, but over the past year I'm getting tired very quickly."

Michelle is pleading with the Department of Health to provide HPV vaccines to young girls, which she says will wipe out the vicious cancer.

"My oldest daughter wants to put a piece of my hair into five different silver frames with a photo as well, so all the kids will have one.

"I don't know anymore. The Budget is next week and I don't think any money will be given [for the vaccines]."

Michelle is concentrating on spending as much time as she can with her children, and she refuses to listen to the doctors' prognosis.

"I don't want to know anymore. I don't look at the internet because I know I'd be tampering and getting curious. I'm better off doing things and getting excited, and looking forward to things," she said.

"Some days, I could be in bad pain and the medication wouldn't seem to be working. It's not nice."

Cost

Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney has said: "I am keeping the cost of implementing such a programme under review.

"I am committed to progressively introducing cancer prevention measures, such as new screening and vaccination programmes, according to clinical prioritisation within resources available."

hnews@herald.ie

- Geraldine Gittens