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00:00My smear test absolutely saved my life.
00:02My name's Cara, I'm 35 years old and in April 2023 I was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
00:09I've pretty much been hit by a bus.
00:11But now I'm feeling like I'm tired of being tired.
00:15I'm tired of being worried and stressed and I just feel like it's a lot.
00:20I think it's my last thought before I go to bed, like I'm even dreaming about this surgery.
00:24Oh it was so silly.
00:31I went for a routine smear test, it was something that I had put off,
00:35which is something that I deeply regret now.
00:37And I suppose part of the reason I didn't was embarrassment, shame, fear, scared of the unknown.
00:44So prior to this smear test I'd only ever had one before and I found it quite
00:48painful and uncomfortable so I then avoided it ever since.
00:51Prior to that smear test I had lots of abdominal pain and lower back pain,
00:55which was put down to IBS actually.
00:58So I was being treated for IBS and cutting out foods, different foods and altering my diet.
01:03However after my smear test we then realised that it wasn't IBS at all,
01:06these were symptoms of cervical cancer.
01:08And there are many symptoms that can come with cervical cancer,
01:12such as pain after sex, abnormal bleeding, changes in your period, changes in discharge.
01:18And I wish I'd known those symptoms and maybe I would have been on it
01:22and I maybe would have challenged the diagnosis of IBS.
01:26We then went on to do chemotherapy, radiotherapy and brachytherapy.
01:31At one of the review scans it was found that unfortunately there was still cancer still there.
01:36So I had another scan to then find that the cancer had grown.
01:39So that unfortunately meant I had to go on and do a very large surgery.
01:43So I had a 12 hour surgery which gave me a full hysterectomy.
01:47I lost my bladder and I lost my bowel.
01:49You see other people with stomas it makes me feel like wow you're really brave, that's amazing.
01:54Like incredible what your body can do, incredible what medicine can do and the doctors can do.
02:01But when I think about it on myself it makes me feel a bit disgusting.
02:05I always think about cancer in layers, a bit like an onion.
02:08So you have your diagnosis which is a lot to process in itself.
02:12Then you have your treatment which is a lot.
02:14So your scans, the impact of treatment and then you have the collateral damage,
02:20the loss of your fertility, the change in your future, the physical changes to your body.
02:25The challenging times there's an awful lot of loss and mourning.
02:29You really do mourn the loss of the way you thought you would have children
02:34or your future wondering whether you're going to be here in 10 years.
02:37The physical changes to your body, like I mourn the loss of my bladder,
02:41like I now have two stoma bags that I will have forever.
02:44And those are physical changes that you don't expect to have
02:48but you have to learn really quickly that this is your new normal.
02:51And sometimes I'm fully accepting of that
02:54and other times I find it really difficult because I think it's a little bit unfair.
02:58But it's a small price of life, that's the price I had to pay to be here I suppose.
03:04And I particularly mourn the loss of the girl that I used to be, I used to be super carefree.
03:09I never used to wake up and my first thought be cancer or is this going to be my last day
03:13or what's the next scan going to show.
03:16So the importance of smear testing, wow, it is so important.
03:20It's just as important as wearing a seatbelt in the car, it should just be done
03:24because it will absolutely save your life.
03:26My biggest regret is putting it off and not making it a priority.
03:29And nobody looks forward to it, it's uncomfortable,
03:32some people find it painful, it can be embarrassing, it can be shameful.
03:36But that discomfort for say that 10 minute appointment truly can save your life
03:42because I promise you the alternative, the alternative is not worth it.