Mum's cancer anguish after appointment was delayed by pandemic

PATIENT STRUGGLED TO GET GP FACE-TO-FACE APPOINTMENT

- SOPHIE HALLE-RICHARDS

A YOUNG mum who has been diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer believes her prognosis could have been significantly improved if she had been seen by her GP in person.

Sophie Butterworth, 30, is about to undergo extensive treatment for Stage 3 cancer, after the disease went undetected for around 15 months – despite her complaining of classic symptoms.

The mum-of-one also faced a delay of five months for a smear test due to the coronavirus pandemic, as she desperately tried to seek a diagnosis for her pain.

She is now about to be checked into the Christie Hospital in south Manchester for an intense seven-week course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy to treat the cancer.

Sophie, who is originally from Sale but now lives in Burnley, won’t be able to see her eight-year-old daughter the whole time, and will be lucky to be out of hospital in time for Christmas.

She was only 29 years old when she first rang her GP practice in June last year, complaining of abnormal vaginal bleeding.

The mum had not had her smear test at the age of 25 as she was out of the country – something she is now advising other women not to delay – and was asked to book one by her doctor.

Sophie says she has since found out that due to her symptoms, she should not have been told to book a smear test, but should have been referred to a gynaecologist immediately.