Jade Pateman has been left with the agonising task of saying goodbye to her young son after being diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer.
The 21-year-old was considered ‘too young for a smear test from the NHS, but by the time she was diagnosed the cancer had already progressed too far.
Jade developed an inflamed cervix in February and was prescribed antibiotics, but her symptoms continued. Doctors then ran tests and discovered a 2-inch tumour on her cervix which had allegedly started forming since last year.
The cancer has already spread to her lymph nodes, stomach and neck. Doctors told her in June that she tragically only has 18-months to 2 years to live.
Jade, who is mum to two-year-old son Oscar, told the Mail Online: “It was strange. I didn't get as upset as I thought I would,"
"But when I came home and thought about it, I was heartbroken. Oscar is only two and will only be four when it happens."
She then called for screening to be lowered to women under 25, as the NHS currently only calls on women above the age of 25 to attend smear tests.
"If the screening age had been 20, it is more than possible that I might have been diagnosed sooner and the cancer might not have spread," Jade explained.
A spokesperson from Public Health England defended the current ruling, saying: "Woman below the age of 25 often undergo natural and harmless changes in the cervix that screening would identify as cervical abnormalities...Despite this, cervical cancer is very rare in this age group. In most cases these abnormalities resolve themselves without any need for treatment...Research has show if women suffer unnecessary treatment, this could have an adverse effect on their future childbearing.”
This is of little comfort to Jade, who now has to prepare Oscar for a future without his mum.
"My little one is what keeps me going. I don't want to mope around because Oscar might pick up that something is wrong with mum."
Jade added: “I want to go out and create memories for me and his memory box."
If you are worried about cervical cancer or want to find out more about smear tests, visit www.jostrust.org.uk
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