Woman now has incurable cancer after her smear test was delayed during lockdown
A young woman has been told she has incurable cancer after her smear test was delayed during lockdown.
Doctors said to Abi Macnamara she was not a priority when her test was delayed in March 2020 because of Covid restrictions. A test in July revealed she had stage 1b cervical cancer, but she was told 'not to worry' as it had been caught early and was 'highly treatable'.
But she was astonished in December when doctors discovered the cancer had actually spread and was by that time stage three. She has since has had two further recurrences and has been told by doctors her cancer is incurable.
Abi, 34, who is undergoing palliative chemo and immunotherapy, said: "I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be where I am now if I'd had my smear test when I should have. I struggle to accept where we are and who was accountable for that. I don't understand why screening for cancer and treatment was put on hold."
Abi, of Swansea, South Wales, received a letter telling her she was due for a smear test - which screens women for cervical cancer - in March 2020. But it was delayed because the UK went into lockdown and non-urgent care was postponed to free up staff and beds for the expected influx of patients seriously ill with COVID-19
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Abi's test in July revealed she had stage 1b cervical cancer (Abi Macnamara / SWNS)
Abi Macnamara while she was in hospital (Abi Macnamara / SWNS)After her test in July revealed stage 1b cervical cancer, she underwent a radical trachelectomy in November – which had also been delayed 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 completed half-marathons, I'd kept myself in shape. I just put my full faith in the hospital. I was told to keep calling every week to get a date.”
But despite the surgeon telling her the operation revealed clean-cut margins - suggesting all the cancer has been removed - she was devastated on Christmas week to find out it had actually spread. Abi since underwent chemo and radiation therapy, but was given further bad news when the cancer came back and caused acute kidney failure in January 2023. She was fitted with a urostomy bag for several months and underwent further rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. By late August, a scan showed no evidence of disease, but around Christmas-time she began feeling poorly and was treated for an infection with antibiotics.
Doctors discovered the cancer had actually spread and was stage three (Abi Macnamara / SWNS)
(Abi Macnamara / SWNS)But she knew something wasn't right and pushed to have her next scan early discovering the cancer had returned in her pelvic cavity. Despite the delays to her treatment, Abi insists she has not had an apology from the hospital. She said: “What annoys me is that everything was shut down for Covid, but now everyone is living their normal lives and I’ve got cancer. It shouldn’t have happened. They never once said sorry. The nurses have all been fantastic, but the manner in which the consultants speak to you makes you feel like they don't have time for you.
"When they tell you too, it's such a massive thing for you. I get that they deal with this every day, but you're treated like you're on a conveyor belt. There's just a lack of humanity about it all. I think there's been a big surge of cancer patients and they can't keep up with the demand.”
She has since has had two further re occurrences of cancer and told it is incurable (Abi Macnamara / SWNS)
The young woman was told 'not to worry' because her cancer was 'highly treatable' (Abi Macnamara / SWNS)Abi refuses to be told her prognosis, has restarted chemotherapy treatment and hopes to explore other alternatives abroad. She has tried 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 I can be for as long as I can be. I’m not burying my head in the sand, it’s a very serious situation I’m facing. But your biggest challenges in life can be the biggest teacher. If I could turn back the clock, I would 100% do things differently, but I can’t, I just have to get on with it.”
Regarding the delay in Abi's surgery, a spokesman 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 posed significant and well-documented challenges to NHS services across the UK.
She was told she was not a priority during lockdown (Abi Macnamara / SWNS)
Abi with her partner Nick (Abi Macnamara / SWNS)“We have not received a formal complaint from Ms Macnamara so have not had the opportunity to carry out a thorough review. However we would welcome a direct conversation so we can discuss her concerns with her in detail.”
To donate to Abi’s fundraiser and help pay for alternative treatments visit her gofundme page.
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