Introduction to a Frustrating Experience
A woman with cervical cancer who waited years for a diagnosis says she has ‘lost her trust in doctors’. Jessica Mason went back and forth to her GP and hospital with swelling, bleeding and pain in her vagina, but said she was "fobbed off" before "begging" for a scan which revealed cancer needed urgent treatment.
Dismissal of Symptoms
The 44-year-old believes she was only referred for an MRI because she "burst into tears" at a doctor, adding: "I knew something was wrong." Jessica suffered from pain and vaginal bleeding which became severe in 2019. She said doctors performed ultrasounds on her and found no problems. She was also diagnosed with various diagnoses, including a cyst, endometriosis and prolapse, and was recommended to do pelvic floor exercises.
Delayed Diagnosis
It was only in May 2022, when she went to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff for the results of an ultrasound scan, that she burst into tears. The results came back a few weeks later in June 2022, revealing stage 1 B3 cervical cancer that needed urgent treatment. Jessica began a chemotherapy and radiotherapy program for five weeks in August 2022.
Impact of Treatment
The treatment took a toll on her 13-year-old son and also pushed her into early menopause, meaning she had to abandon her plans to have another child. Jessica said the treatment caused her to have an early menopause and she now only manages three days of work a week. "It has taken over our lives. My body is destroyed from everything I’ve been through, but also mentally, my friends, my family, my home life, everything revolves around it."
Ongoing Health Issues
Jessica said she was still experiencing occasional bleeding and would need further biopsies, describing the situation as "endless". “I always have this worry in the back of my mind, what if they miss something again and I don’t make it this time?” She has accused the health authority of being “hesitant” to share her medical records while it considers whether to take legal action against her.
Systemic Issues
A recent health committee report into the treatment of gynecological cancers found that women “continue to be let down by the government’s inaction”. The report found that a number of recommendations made as part of a landmark report that uncovered “critical failures” were not implemented. Although the government had accepted the majority of the committee’s recommendations, it had not provided specific earmarked funding for gynecological cancer services nor published measurable NHS targets to improve outcomes.
Government Response
The government said: “We are committed to working with the NHS to improve access to timely diagnosis and treatment for women with gynecological cancer.” “We have made changes to support earlier referrals and we are investing in new equipment and new treatments to improve outcomes for women. The current performance compared to the 62-day target is simply not good enough and needs to be improved.”
