A young mother from Doncaster has spoken out against NHS screening policies after being denied a smear test on fourteen separate occasions despite displaying clear symptoms of cervical cancer.
Paige McCall, now 23, first experienced concerning symptoms during her second trimester of pregnancy in November 2023. She suffered from heavy bleeding that required changing pads every three hours, yet medical staff at Doncaster Royal Infirmary repeatedly turned down her requests for investigation.
Repeated Denials Despite Clear Warning Signs
Throughout her first pregnancy, Ms McCall visited hospital eight times with persistent bleeding. Each time, she was told her cervix appeared abnormal but staff refused to conduct a smear test, citing her age and pregnancy status as barriers.
"Every time a nurse, doctor or midwife checked my cervix they said there was something abnormal with it," Ms McCall recalled. "But they couldn't do anything because I was pregnant and under 25."
The trainee teacher emphasised the severity of her symptoms: "The extent of the bleeding was awful. It was my first pregnancy so I didn't know what was going on. I thought I was having a miscarriage."
Despite her concerns and strong family history of cervical cancer, which she highlighted during every appointment, medical professionals continued to dismiss her requests for testing.
Fighting for Diagnosis and Treatment
After giving birth to her daughter, Ms McCall conceived again six months later. The bleeding continued, leading to six more refusals for cervical screening during her second pregnancy.
It wasn't until August this year, at seven months pregnant with her second child, that she "stood her ground" and secured a referral for a biopsy. However, with the NHS appointment scheduled for December, she grew concerned about potential delays.
Taking matters into her own hands, Ms McCall paid £460 for a private assessment that confirmed her worst fears on October 31st: she had stage two cervical cancer.
"The woman said if I had waited until 25 to get my smear test, it would have possibly been stage four," Ms McCall revealed. "When I was told this, I didn't know what to say. I just stared at the wall."
Campaigning for Change in Screening Policy
The young mother is now petitioning to lower the age for cervical screening and has established a GoFundMe page to help other young women access private healthcare.
"I think kids are having sex really young now and my passion would be to give out smear tests when they become sexually active," she stated. "I think if you've got a strong family history of the disease, it should definitely be offered younger."
Ms McCall is undergoing private treatment costing £30,000, which involves cervix removal followed by five weeks of daily chemotherapy. She has preserved 11 eggs through freezing in hopes of future children via IVF.
"It leaves me feeling angry that I've got to go to this extent to save my life," she expressed. "If it comes back, which there is a 60 per cent chance it will, I don't have £30,000 every time."
Currently, the NHS offers cervical screening to women aged 25-49 every three years, extending to every five years for those aged 50-64. The Department of Health and Social Care maintains that lowering the screening age "would do more harm than good" according to independent expert advice.
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals have responded to Ms McCall's case, stating: "I am sorry to hear of Paige's experience and would welcome the opportunity to understand more about her care."
Cervical cancer remains the most common cancer in women under 35 in the UK, affecting approximately 3,300 women annually and claiming two lives each day.
