Liz on cervical cancer and raising awareness
Last modified: 24 May 2025, 14:15
Liz was 38 years old when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. After attending all her cervical screenings and not experiencing any symptoms, it was a shock to be diagnosed. However, Liz decided that she wanted to use this time to raise awareness and vital funds for Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.
“I was diagnosed with cervical cancer out of the blue in July 2021 at the age of 38.
I have always understood the importance of regular cervical screening and had never missed a smear test. I had no symptoms to suggest that anything was wrong, so when I went for my routine smear test in May 2021, I assumed that everything would be fine. During the test there was quite a lot of blood after the nurse put the speculum in and the nurse said she was unable to take a cell sample. Initially I was told I might have a polyp and booked a GP appointment to have it removed.
At the appointment the GP said that it wasn’t a polyp, but a fibroid and that I would need to have the fibroid removed by the gynaecology department in hospital. The GP did also manage to perform a smear test and take a sample of cells. Due to covid there was a long wait to be seen by gynaecology and it wasn’t until my smear test result came back 6 weeks later as ‘abnormal’ that I really started to worry. I was given an appointment for two week’s time to be seen by colposcopy.
I went to colposcopy where fibroids and polyps were ruled out, in my head this didn’t leave me many options. They weren’t able to say it was definitely cancer at that point, but the consultant started talking about treatment – cancer treatment – including radiotherapy which was really scary. I’m a worrier and I’m really glad I was told about Jo’s at that point. I was told to go straight there and not to ‘google’.
Jo’s website has been amazing at helping to answer my questions and explain what’s going on without worrying me even more.
I had an MRI five days later which suggested stage 2a or 2b cancer. I was told that the consultant surgeon would be reviewing my scans and biopsies the following week and then they would confirm my treatment plan. After the consultant reviewed my scans, I was called by the gynaecology nurse and was told there might be the possibility of the cancer being operable. The next day the consultant examined me and told me that he could operate on me. The consultant had a cancellation and I was booked in for a radical hysterectomy and lymph node removal 6 days later. It all happened so fast. I was first diagnosed on the 8th of July and had my operation on the 21 July. I chose to keep an ovary to stop me going through early menopause. I have 2 children, and my husband and I weren’t planning to have more children, but it still felt very final and definite to know that I would lose my fertility.
The operation went well and I spent 5 days recovering in hospital. Due to covid, I wasn’t allowed visitors to any of my appointments, or to hospital, which was very difficult. l found the recovery much more challenging than I had imagined. Prior to the operation I was pretty fit – I am a regular runner and practice yoga, so it was quite a shock to feel so debilitated. I am a very determined person and I managed to walk a little more each day to slowly build myself back up. Six weeks after my operation I was fit enough to return back to work.
Two weeks after my operation I had a follow up appointment with my surgeon and was given the amazing news that all the cancer had been removed, that there were clear margins of healthy cells, and that no further treatment was needed. I was restaged to a 1b.
My husband was amazing throughout.
We were almost in denial, with everything happening so quickly, we were just swept along with it. Yoga and meditation really helped me to cope, along with peer support from friends, including those who had also experienced cancer. I said throughout that I didn’t want sympathy, just people rooting for me and cheering me on. That was my way of coping. I worked right up until the day before my operation!
Physically I have recovered pretty well. I have some lymphoedema as lymph nodes were removed from my pelvis, this causes a little bit of swelling in my foot and side of my tummy, but to me that’s a small price to pay. Mentally the cancer diagnosis has been harder to recover from, and I’m currently having counselling to help me process everything. For the first 12 months after my operation I had checks with my consultant every 3 months, now that I am a year cancer free, the appointments are every 4 months. All being well, the gap between checks will keep increasing as time goes by.
Raising awareness of the importance of smear tests really matters to me, I also want to raise as much money as possible for Jo’s. I did a birthday fundraiser last year, and ran the Hull half marathon for
Jo’s this June – less than a year after my surgery. Having cancer has definitely changed my outlook on life. It’s helped me reevaluate what’s important to me.
I feel very grateful for the second chance that I have been given.
I still have questions about why I went from a ‘normal smear test result in 2018 and straight to cancer three years later. I’ve been told it’s likely because the cancer was really high up in my cervix, and was an aggressive form, so wasn’t detected earlier. I now tell everyone to go for their screening, as mine literally saved my life. I had no symptoms and if I hadn’t gone for my smear test when I did, it could have been a very different story.”