Carly, 34, shares her experience of living with undiagnosed gynaecological conditions and feeling dismissed by healthcare professionals – an issue that reflects the wider neglect of women’s health needs. Carly has been dismissed by gynaecological services “all [her] adult life” due to endometriosis, adenomyosis and pelvic congestion syndrome. She was recently dismissed as “perfectly fine” … Continued
Joe, 64, from Swansea, experienced chronic backache and spotting years after menopause. When she visited her GP, they were dismissive and declined to investigate further. Concerned, Joe decided to go private, where a scan revealed endometrial cancer. What followed was a nightmare of trying to get the NHS to carry out additional tests. Eventually, Joe … Continued
Amy*, 30, from Aberdare was ignored and dismissed for years from 2018 until 2024 after developing concerning symptoms. When she finally had an operation, it was confirmed she had stage 2 ovarian cancer. Amy thinks that without putting in four complaints and threatening legal action, she might never have been seen. During this time, she … Continued
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
By Jon
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
By Jon
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