Ceri Davis
Ceri Davis, 53-year-old mother of two, 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 coil was causing the issues. The internal scan was carried out and she was told she had a uterine fibroid and was assured that she should not be concerned.
She continued to have symptoms and was eventually referred for a colposcopy after her GP spotted something suspicious on her cervix. However, her latest smear test had returned negative for the HPV virus and her referral was downgraded. Her GP was told she did not need to be seen urgently.
Convinced there was something more serious wrong, she rang the hospital herself and insisted that she be seen as she had all the symptoms of cervical cancer.
Ceri recalls: “I was given a cancellation appointment and two days later on 14th June 2023 I had a colposcopy. I was told there and then that I did have cervical cancer and that it had already spread quite far”.
Sadly, following a PET scan a few weeks later, she was told the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and was classed as incurable.
A year on, she is receiving palliative chemotherapy but is now in more pain and discomfort than before. The first round of treatment was only partly successful as the tumours grew shortly after chemotherapy stopped.
“I’m a 53-year-old mum of two sons aged 15 and 19 and am devastated to think that I’m now living on borrowed time.
“I feel very strongly that women should not be fobbed off, because they have had clear smear results. I also feel that medical professionals should never assume it can’t be cancer just because a patient has clear smears or a fibroid or any other misleading symptoms.
“Cancer should ALWAYS be considered and ruled out.
“I’m proof that not all cervical cancer can and will ever be prevented by the HPV vaccine. Women should be made more aware that they could still have cancer, despite doing everything in their power to be cautious.
“I still cry some days, mostly when I think of my sons and how they’ll cope and feel when I’m no longer here. My precious boys have both been so brave and supportive, but it’s completely shattered their young lives I try to keep everything as normal as I can for them both, but sometimes the pain is too bad to hide”.
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