Smear test plea after cancer diagnosis at 26

Cathryn Russell was diagnosed with cervical cancer at the age of 26, after putting off her smear test for a year

A woman who was diagnosed with cervical cancer at the age of 26 said she "wouldn't be here today" without the NHS cervical screening programme.

Cathryn Russell from Wolverhampton was invited for her smear test at the age of 25.

She put off the screening for a year, but was encouraged by close relatives to book her appointment.

Two weeks after the test, her results came back with abnormal cells, and after further checks she was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

"All I kept thinking was, where do I go from here?"

“I think at first, I didn’t take it in at all. It felt like I had been hit by a train,” the 30-year-old said.

“My mum had to read the diagnosis out to me repeatedly to make it feel real."

Prior to her smear test, Ms Russell suffered with irregular periods but had not experienced any other symptoms.

"All I kept thinking was, where do I go from here? I am so young and have all my life ahead of me.”

Carefully monitored

As well as ongoing hospital treatment, Cathryn had a trachelectomy (surgery for early-stage cervical cancer that removes the cervix), decreasing her fertility.

She was also later told she had Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) but has this under control with medication.

“Obviously having children is not completely ruled out, but it may be a struggle.

"If I do get pregnant one day, I will be carefully monitored," she said.

Sandeep Gosall, gynae-oncology clinical nurse specialist at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT), supported Cathryn after her diagnosis.

She said: “One in three women do not take up their cervical screening invite - it’s through this screening that abnormal cells and cancers can be detected at an early stage.

“Cathryn attended her smear, her cancer was diagnosed early, and treatment was successful.

Officially negative

NHS England has pledged to eliminate cervical cancer in the UK by 2040 and Ms Gosall said it could only be done more awareness of the importance of screening.

Cathryn is now officially negative for high-risk HPV and has received a clear smear test after five years.

She said: “Please go for your smears. The nurses have seen it all and it may be embarrassing for you but it’s normal for them.

"It is over within five minutes – and that could save your life.

“Be kind to yourself. If you are invited, do not put this off – let 2024 be the year of your smear.”

Symptoms of cervical cancer include unusual vaginal bleeding, changes to vaginal discharge, pain during sex, and pain in the lower back, pelvis, or lower stomach.