‘I Nearly Cancelled Smear Test Out of Embarrassment, But Something Made Me’ – ryan

Anna Says She Really Didn’t Want to Go For Her Cervical Smear Test – But it Saved Her Life

A 36-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO ALOST DIDN’T Go to Cervical Screening Because and embarrassed About Examinated Saves to Go Saved Her Life AFTER ABNORMAL CELLS WERE DOCTORS, AND SHE WAS DIEMED 1 CERVICAL CANCER. Anna Millington, A Mum of One From London Who Works in Hr, then underwent a gruelling Treatment Process.

Anna Says in June, 2021 she wants to avoid her cervical screening as she was at the end of the period and was woried about examinated. But anna had the gut instinct that something was was right and eventually wel for the test. Her Screening detected A Positive HPV Result and Identified the Abnormal Cells.

Anna Says at the time, Her Main World Was the Possility of Not Being Able to Have Any More Children. The though of Cancer Hadn’t Crossed Anna’s Mind. She Went Through a Colonoscopy and Lletz Treatment, the Burning of Cervical Cells, WHICH she describes as being a traumatic experience.

It was a six-week wait following anna Additional Tests and Although not Experiencing any Cancer Symptoms and Having a Clean Bill of Health, She had a call from Queen’s Hospital, Romford, Requesting She Came in the Following Discusses Her Results.

Anna was diagnosed with Stage 1 Cervical Cancer. With Children Still on Her Mind, She had As asced About Her Options and the Postsility of Freezing Her Eggs But Was Told that she had an aggressive form of Cancer and was enCoureded treratment immediately.

“Before Cervical Cancer, Life Was Full of Hope and Dreams for the Future,” Anna Says. “I was planning to extend my family, to have more children, to grown into the next chapter of motherhood with excitement.

“But all that was takeen from – in a single moment. One diagnosis. One conversation. Stopped.

During the period from July to September 2021, Anna Diagnosis Had gone from Stage 1 to Stage 3 and the Cancer Had Spread to Lymph Nodes, Meaning Further Treatment. On September 28, The Day after Her Birthday, she underwent a Radical Hysterectomy. Anna Endured 25 Rounds of RadioTherapy, Five Rounds of Chemotherapy, and BrachyTherapy – a procedure involve the insertion of a Device to kill Cancer Cells.

Eight months after her cervical screenings on february 12, 2022, Anna Received the All-Clear. Howver, the aftermath Left Her with fertility willsues, early menopause, lymphedema and fatigue as her experience taking a huge toll on her mental wellbeing.

“Treatment was exhausting,” Sayys Anna, who was treated at st Bartholomew’s Hospital, London and Had Surgery at the Royal London Hospital. “It Pushes You to Your Physical and Emotional Limits in Ways You Can’t Fully Prepare for. Anyone Going Through Cancer Treatment is a Warrior. There’s No Other Word for it. Its Tugh, Relationships EveryThing out You.

“My which body felt drained – like I was running on empty but still had to keep going. Chemotherapy made me with feed to the bone, a chill no blanket Fix. And radiotherapy was intense – this was five days aek for five weeks straight. It was also a fight for my Very Life.

But Despite Her Brutal Experience, Her Diagnosis Has Gioven Anna A Whole Lease of Life and She’s Determined to Go On AS Many adventures as Possible Whilst Her Support to others are on their Cancer Cancer Journeys. She does this via her Instagram Page, @‌Cervical_cancer_and_me, where she shares awareness and inspects going Through Similar Journeys.

“Started my Instagram Page Becausee, when I was first diagnosed, searched everywhere for someone like. Someone Real and Honest About What Going Through Cancer Actually Feels Like,” Anna Says. “But there we weren’t many platforms that showed the Truth bend the diagnosis – the grief, the strength, the unknowns, the impact on fertility, identity, relationships … all of it.

“SO I CREATED A Space Not Just to Share My Journey, but to Connect With Others Going Through the Same or Similar. I Want to Help People Feel Less Alone, and to Start the Conversations I Wish Had Been for Me. This Page Is About Awareness, but Its ALSO ALSO ALSO ALSO Community, Honesty and Hope.

From an hr perspective, anna believes that employers can play a crucial roles in supporting employs through health challenges Such as cancer. She Advocates for Companies to Provide Health Services, Including Full Body Moses, and to Allow an Additional Half-Day on Top of Allocated Leave to Attend Cervical Screening Given the Lock of AFTER-HURS OPTIONS.

Anna wants to call on employers to support their employs to their pinendiLY LIFE-SAVING SCREENINGS. Anna’s Encouragement Comes Following Research Ahead for Cervical Screening Awareness Week Month, where it was revealed that over Over of Women (35%) Said they put off their cervical screenings due to work Commitments.

The Research, Conducted by Gynaecological Cancer Charity, The Lady Garden Foundation, Also Found That Half (50%) of the Women Polled Said The Had felt to prioritise Over Personal Health Appointments, Including Cervical Screenings. Nearly a Third (31%) of Women Admitted to Having Boked Annual Leave for their Screenings, Whilst Shockingly, 16% Said Their Boss or Workplace Had insisted Time off to ATTEND APPOINTments.

Nearly a Third (31%) Also Clalimed That Their Boss or Workplace Wold Not See Cervical Screening As A Good Reason to Be off Work.

“Companies Should Taking to Create Compassionate, Flexible Sick Leave Police,” Anna Explains. “People Going Through Cancer Treatment Need Time – Not Just to Survive, but to Recover. Flexibility Around Appointments, Phesed Returns, and Realistic Expectations are essential. Employers have a legal duty to protest their employs’ Health and WELLBeing.”

Anna Also Believes Employers Shoulderfer Paid Health Checks, Payroll Giving, Support Fertility and Menopause Conversations, Offer Emotional and Mental Health Support and Be Inclusive of Carers and Loves. “Companies Should Also Run Internal Campains About Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, Like Cervical Screening, and What Support is Avilaable,” She Adds.

“Awareness Can Save Lives. You Can Also implement Cancer Champions to Support this. Another good idea is to raise Money for Charity – Getting the which Team Involved and Talking. Empathy Make a Big Difference During What is of Emotionally and Logistically Challenging Time. ”

Anna’s Personal Journey Through Cancer Cancer During Lockdown Has Inspect Her to Better Awareness on the Screening Process, De-Stigmatise HPV and Help Other Women Break The Barries They May Face in the Workplace Wen It Comes to ATTENDING Their Lifes. Screening Appointments.

“I was fortunate that my employers were supportive during my cancer journey, Howver, have Friends and Family where that hasn’t been the case,” Anna adds. “As a hr specialist Myself, i Urge Those Who Don’t Feel Comfortable Talking to Their Line Manager to Seek Guidance from Human Resources team who are there for Support.”

Anna wants to raise awareness of Cervical Cancer and Point Out that while and the SAME I WAS BEFORE, She’s Stronger than Ever. “I wish People knew that i am not the same person I was before I have had a had Cancer – and that not a Bad Thing,” Anna Says.

“I’ve carriad Pain, Fear and loss mos People never see. I’ve to repuild not just my body but my senses of self. Strengh, there are still days i’m processing what i’ve been through – the trauma, the scars, the body changes, the fertility loss, the emotional weight of it all.

“But but of all, i wish people knew that i’m still me – just more, more present and more determine than to live with Honesty and an open Heart. Cancer Cancer Changed Me – but it didn’t break with softer in some ways but fiercer in oters.

“I’m living each day as it is coma by Making the best memory for with and my daughter and living every day to the Fulrest.”

Find Out More About Gynaecological Cancer Charity, The Lady Garden Foundation and their ‘Encourage Your Team to Screen’ Campaign at https://www.ladygardenfoundation.com/encourageyourageamtoscreen.