Without smear test I might not still be here

After cancerous growth is discovered, Cat urges women to get checked out

A Perthshire woman has said she might not be here if she had not gone for her cervical smear test.

Cat Burton (34) from Scone went in for her procedure last year, with nurses discovering a cancerous growth on her cervix.

Since the initial test, Cat has had the growth removed and had an operation to remove 21 of her lymph nodes. She is now recovering well however, she said she is so glad she went for her smear test, and said if she had waited a year or two, she might not be alive to tell her story.

As the UK marks Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, she is now encouraging all women to go for their cervical screening test regularly.

She said: “Last year I went for my smear test as usual and ended up getting the ‘abnormal results’ letter, which was mildly terrifying.

“I went in for the various checks and things, and it turns out I had a cancerous growth - it was not too big, it was about the size of a pea.

“They caught it really early, and managed to remove it at the first check.

“But because of the status of the cancer, they wanted to check if it had spread, so I went to hospital for a lymphadenectomy to remove 21 lymph nodes from around my stomach and groin area.

“It was quite interesting. When they did the operation they found out I also had endometriosis, so I was relieved they found that out too - it was helpful in a weird way.

“I am so glad they caught it early.

“It is probably the hardest thing I have ever been through.

“During the operation, one of the holes went through my abdominal muscles, so I wasn’t able to get in and out of bed, it was really bad for a few weeks.

“The little growth was about five millimetres by three millimetres and was up in my cervix, but when they did the biopsy they managed to completely remove it, which was great.

“I am going back to Ninewells next month to have another smear test to see how it is all looking.”

All women in Scotland between the ages of 25 and 64 are asked to go for a smear test. Smear tests can pick up changes to the cells in the cervix which if left untreated could develop into cervical cancer.

Women aged 25 to 49 are supposed to attend every three years, whilst women between the ages of 50 and 64 are due every five years - but 25 per cent of women living in Tayside are overdue for their test.

Cat now wants to encourage as many women as possible to go for the potentially life-saving check.

She continued: “I can understand why some people don’t go for their test.

“At first I thought, ‘why would you not go?’, but for sexual assault survivors, that might trigger them, so I can understand that.

“People often think it is painful as well, but I would say it is better to know than not know.

“I am so glad it happened the way it did. If I had waited a year or two, I might not be here.

“I would advise people to go - it might not be very fun and it is a bit weird, but at the end of the day, everyone has the same bits and the nurses doing it see this constantly, so it is nothing to be ashamed about.

“Often we are told to keep our bodies private and not to show people things, but these are medical professionals, you can trust them.

“There is also a fear of finding out something bad, but by having that test, it removes the unknown.

“So many places you don’t get this healthcare and these checks, so when it is offered here, why not go for it?

“It is really important during this Cervical Cancer Awareness Week.”

As part of Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, NHS Tayside has been running a week-long campaign called Cervica 2020 to try and encourage more women to go for their smear test.

This included a smear test clinic at Perth Royal Infirmary for staff members who had fallen behind with their screening, and a drop-in clinic was held yesterday (Thursday, January 23) in Ninewells Hospital in Dundee for members of the public.

Information stalls were also set up in PRI on Wednesday for visitors to get more information.

Dr Wendy McMullen, gynaecological cancer lead at NHS Tayside, said: “Surface changes that need treating can almost always be treated in the clinic, either at the first or second visit.

“The examination takes about five minutes and the treatment, if needed, about another five to 10 minutes.

“Nearly all women leave the clinic saying the examination and treatment is slightly uncomfortable but not nearly as bad as they thought.

“We realise that some women have particular difficulties with examination but it is so important that these women come for their smear tests and follow up.

“It is so sad to see women having life changing treatment for a cancer that could have been prevented by a five minute smear test and a half hour visit to the clinic.

“Please put it on your list for 2020.”