Cancer nurse has tumour after cancelled smear test
A CANCER nurse aged 28 whose smear test was cancelled due to Covid-19 has been diagnosed with a tumour the size of a tennis ball.
Destiny Wade already had mild symptoms and was supposed to have a test in March.
But in May the bodybuilder, who has also had coronavirus, took herself to A&E after a night of heavy bleeding. And after three weeks of tests she was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
The oncology nurse from Crayford, south-east London, has now set up a Gofundme page to raise awareness about the importance of smear tests.
She said: “I started having some symptoms in February such as bleeding after sex, but I didn’t think anything of it.
“In March I was supposed to have a smear test but my GP called and told me it was cancelled due to Covid-19.
“When I raised that I had some mild symptoms I was told, ‘You’re only 27, you have a low risk of cervical cancer so you’re not a priority’.
“I had coronavirus and was off work for four weeks. It was around that time I started noticing abnormal bleeding.
“By May it was every day. One night I had very extreme bleeding and had a gut feeling. I thought ‘I can’t sit on this any longer’ so I took myself to A&E. The consultant did an internal examination – as soon as I saw her face I knew something was wrong.
Determined
“She said I had a tumour the size of a tennis ball.
“I am a fit active girl, I work with cancer and I thought I’d know if I had it. But it turns out you can never know. If I’d had the smear test I would have caught it in March.”
Destiny has started her first round of chemo for six weeks.
The fitness fanatic is determined to beat cancer and is keen on raising awareness for smear tests.
She said: “I think it’s really sad something like a smear test is classed as a routine appointment.
“Women need their GP to convince them to have it done.”