WHEN mum-of-one Leah Harrington was rushed to hospital earlier this year, she knew something wasn’t right.
The 32-year-old had been suffering from abnormal bleeding for almost a year – but says her GP kept sending her for sexual health checks.
They came back clear each time and Leah, who lives in Newcastle-under-Lyme, said because of her age and the fact she had a clear smear test, medics said she didn’t have cervical cancer.
But in April Leah was rushed to hospital and developed sepsis from a pelvic infection.
It was at that point, she says, she believed she had cervical cancer.
Leah said: “The doctor still didn’t believe I had it but agreed to do a biopsy
and 10 weeks later I found out I had cancer.
“It really upset me because I had suspicions I had cervical cancer, I
was getting symptoms. I was quite angry it hadn’t been detected
earlier.
“Although it’s a shock to hear I wasn’t shocked because I kind of
knew. I was relieved because finally they had found out I had got it.”
Leah is now 18 weeks into chemotherapy and receiving daily radiotherapy at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Leah also suffers with Crohn’s disease and said her life is now very different to what it was since her diagnosis in June.
She said that her life is now ‘monopolised’ by hospital appointments, lots of scans and waiting around.
“My life is on hold waiting to see what is going to happen and how I’m going to respond to the treatment.
“I was working before the diagnosis. I have always worked so it’s been
difficult for my emotional well-being not being in work or having that
routine. Due to the treatment I wouldn’t be able to do my usual job.
“At the moment I know they are treating me to hopefully cure me but it
depends how well I respond to the treatment.
“To the initial chemo my tumour did shrink but it’s still there. At
the moment it’s unknown.”
