I was in Dublin last week for publication of my daughter Kitty’s book, “Savita”, an account of the life and death of Savita Halapanavar, the young Indian dentist who perished in Galway University Hospital after being refused the abortion she and her husband Praveen had repeatedly asked for.
Former president Mary Robinson wrote a foreword for the book.
Kitty Holland at the launch of her book, 'Savita'.
Fianna Fail cabinet minister Mary O’Rourke did the honours at the launch.
The story was a global sensation when Kitty broke it on the front page of the Irish Times a year ago this week.
Hardly anybody anywhere could understand how Savita could have been left untreated because, as was confirmed at the inquest, some members of the medical staff felt constrained by the fact that, “This is a Catholic country.”
No doubt they all acted in good faith.
But the outcome was disastrous for Savita.
The tragedy caused widespread distress.
It sparked demonstrations across the South, and led directly to the change in the law which, although tentative and complicated, defined for the first time the circumstances in which abortion could legally be carried out in the State.
“Kitty’s story changed the law,” Nell McCafferty observed at the launch.
“Neither of us ever did that.”
The book provides a literally minute-by-minute account of the three days in Galway University Hospital that were to shake the land. It includes a gallery of pictures of beautiful, lively, contented and confident Savita growing up in Belgaum in southern India that would take tears from a stone.
I am, of course, biased, but I do believe this is an important book.
Almost Done!
Registering with Derry Journal means you're ok with our terms and conditions.