Woman, 34, whose smear test was postponed during lockdown and was told not to worry when cancer diagnosis revealed her disease is now incurable
A young woman has revealed how she was diagnosed with incurable cancer after her smear test was postponed during lockdown.
Abi Macnamara, 34, from Swansea, was told she was not a priority when her test was postponed in March 2020 due to Covid restrictions.
In July, her test revealed she had stage one cervical cancer. She was told not to worry and was reassured that the disease had been caught early, making it ‘very treatable’.
But in December 2020, Abi was devastated when doctors told her the cancer had spread and was by then stage three.
The cancer has since returned twice and Abi has been told by doctors that the cancer is now incurable.
After being diagnosed with stage 1b cervical cancer, Abi Macnamara, 34, (pictured) underwent surgery to remove her cervix and cancerous lymph nodes
Abi, from Swansea, South Wales, is undergoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy but has been told her cancer is incurable
Abi pictured herself with her partner Nick in happier times. Abi has always been active and competed in half marathons before she was diagnosed
Abi, who is undergoing palliative chemotherapy and immunotherapy, said: ‘I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be where I am today if I’d had my smear test when it was supposed to be done.’
‘I’m struggling to accept where we are now and who is responsible for it. I don’t understand why cancer screening and treatment have been suspended.”
Abi received a letter asking her to book a smear test in 2020.
However, the test was postponed when Britain went into lockdown on March 26 and non-urgent care was postponed to free up staff and beds for the expected influx of seriously ill Covid-19 patients.
After Abi’s test in July revealed stage 1b cervical cancer, she underwent a radical trachelectomy in November – which was also postponed due to Covid – to remove her cervix and cancerous lymph nodes.
Abi said: ‘It came as a complete shock because I was really fit and healthy… I’d been running half marathons, I’d been keeping myself in shape.
‘I just put my complete trust in the hospital. I was told to keep calling every week for a date.’
While the surgeon told her the operation produced crisp margins – indicating all the cancer had been removed – Abi’s world was turned upside down over Christmas week when she discovered the cancer had spread.
Abi received more bad news when the cancer returned in January 2023, leading to acute kidney failure
Abi said her diagnosis came as a shock because she was fit and healthy
Abi underwent chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but received more bad news in January 2023 when the cancer returned, leading to acute kidney failure.
She was fitted with a urostomy bag for several months and received further rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
A scan at the end of August showed no signs of illness, but around Christmas she started feeling unwell again.
Abi was treated with antibiotics but she knew something was wrong, prompting her to bring forward her next scan.
The scan showed that the cancer had returned again, this time in her pelvic cavity.
Despite the delays in her treatment, Abi has received no apology from the hospital.
She said: ‘What irritates me is that everything was shut down because of Covid, but now everyone is living their normal lives and I have cancer. It shouldn’t have happened.
‘They never said sorry. The nurses were all fantastic, but the way the consultants spoke to you made you feel like they didn’t have time for you.
Abi refuses to hear her prognosis and is determined to stay as positive as possible for as long as possible
Her positive attitude is reinforced by her belief that some of life’s greatest challenges can be the greatest teachers
“If they tell you too, that’s a huge thing for you.
‘I understand that they have to deal with this every day, but you are treated as if you are on a conveyor belt. There’s just a lack of humanity in all of this.
“I think there’s been a big wave of cancer patients and they can’t keep up with the demand.”
Abi refuses to be told her prognosis and although she has now resumed chemotherapy treatment, she hopes to explore other alternatives abroad.
She has continued to maintain a healthy lifestyle to give herself the best chance of responding well to treatment.
She said, ‘I don’t want it, I don’t want to become it. I want to be as positive as possible for as long as I can.
“I’m not burying my head in the sand, it’s a very serious situation I’m dealing with.
“But your greatest challenges in life can be your greatest teachers. If I could turn back the clock I would do things 100% differently, but I can’t, I just have to keep going.’
While Abi has restarted chemotherapy, she is also keen to explore alternative treatments abroad
Regarding the delay to surgery experienced by Abi, a spokesperson for Swansea Bay University Health Board said: ‘We are very sorry to hear of Ms Macnamara’s concerns.
‘While the health board strives to provide the highest standard of care, the pandemic has created significant and well-documented challenges for NHS services across the UK.
‘We have not received a formal complaint from Ms Macnamara and so have not had the opportunity to conduct a thorough investigation.
‘However, we would like to have a direct conversation so that we can discuss her concerns with her in detail.’