Archives: Stories

Following 10 months without a period, Julie Ashbrook, 55, from Cheshire, experienced a one-off episode of abnormal bleeding in February 2024. Concerned, she went to her GP in early March and was fast-tracked to a gynaecologist under the two-week cancer referral pathway.  The consultant performed a smear test, which came back clear. An internal scan … Continued

Pauline Hughes from the Midlands suffered with heavy and painful periods for years. After 10 years, she was finally given a complete hysterectomy to relieve her pain. Some years later, after a move to Skegness, she experienced worrying bleeding once again. Her GP did not immediately send her for tests and Pauline felt “fobbed off” … Continued

Denise Rossell-Jones, from Surrey, experienced vaginal bleeding aged 71. She was told by her GP that it was down to old age and nothing to worry about. One day, after going to the toilet, she noticed it was full of blood. She rang 111 and was referred to the hospital. There she underwent a transvaginal … Continued

Ffion Rogers had a 5cm cyst on her ovary removed in February 2023 and was told it was a dumaroid cyst and “nothing to worry about” as she had no family history and was too young for ovarian cancer. Four months later she was diagnosed with stage 1C1 ovarian cancer. She discovered her consultant had … Continued

Jess Moultrie says her mum Rachael Tyler’s life has changed drastically after years without support, being listened to, or taken seriously. In 1999, her Rachael’s symptoms of irregular periods and the discovery of a 3cm cyst on her ovaries were mistaken as PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) due to her weight. Concerns and complaints were ignored … Continued

Ceri Davis, 53-year-old mother of two from Cardiff, has a terminal cervical cancer diagnosis after being told there was “nothing to be concerned about”. Ceri had been experiencing bleeding in between periods and also post-menopausal bleeding. She visited her GP over many years and was eventually sent for a scan to see whether her contraceptive … Continued

After years of raising concerns and chasing answers, Patsy Hudson, who lives in North Wales,  underwent a full hysterectomy when a borderline ovarian tumour was found. Patsy made several attempts to understand what was causing her abdominal pain of over a decade. She had three sonograms and an appointment with a gastroenterologist who conducted a … Continued

Kayleigh Lenney’s 57-year-old mum, Donna Hayward, had a uterine Leiomyosarcoma misdiagnosed in August 2022. Initially, her symptoms were dismissed as being related to a fibroid. She presented with a large and rapidly growing abdominal mass, weight loss, pain, vaginal bleeding, anaemia and fever. Her symptoms were not consistent with the diagnosis of a fibroid. The … Continued

Jessica Mason, from the Vale of Glamorgan, was given a range of misdiagnoses including infections, prolapse, and suspected endometriosis, only for a 6.5cm tumour to eventually be found growing in her cervix and womb. Although Jessica feels like “one of the lucky ones” due to currently being cancer free, she endured radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and brachytherapy … Continued

Clare Hollinshead felt her concerns were dismissed and downplayed due to her gender and age when she presented with symptoms in her thirties. After experiencing heavy and frequent bleeding in 2016, Clare was informed by her GP that a scan revealed a small growth on her womb and was advised she should be seen by … Continued