Sarah Weichardt (43) was up to date with her cervical screenings and never had any report back for abnormal cells. Just before her 42nd birthday, Sarah visited a sexual health clinic after she was experience slight spotting after sex which she thought were being caused by her contraceptive coil. Concerned that the problems were being caused by something else, the sexual health nurse referred Sarah for a colposcopy, a simple procedure used to look at the cervix, and within a couple of weeks Sarah was diagnosed with stage 3 Cervical Cancer.
The mother-of-two began treatment within a month of her diagnosis and after receiving radiotherapy and five sessions of chemotherapy at Castle Hill Hospital, Sarah was given the all clear.
Having struggled with her cancer diagnosis, Sarah found support from the Living With and Beyond Cancer team at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and benefited from some of the services provided, including; complimentary therapies (reflexology and massage), diet and exercise programmes. As part of her ongoing rehabilitation, Sarah continues to attend some of the programmes on offer and decided to fundraise for the Living With and Beyond cancer service, at Castle Hill Hospital and the Gynaecology and Smear not Fear teams at the Women and Children’s hospital raising £3,000 in just 12 months. Sarah also set up a Facebook page ‘Cancer Support – Hull & East Riding‘ to help those diagnosed with cancer in Hull and the East Riding area to find support.
Sarah said: “I wanted to share my story to encourage others to visit a healthcare professional if they believe something isn’t right – regardless of whether you are up to date with your cancer screening appointments. After receiving my diagnosis, I struggled to find support and found it hard to meet anyone else who was around my age and going through a similar journey. I’m grateful for the ongoing support of the Living With and Beyond team at Castle Hill and the gynaecology team at the Women and Children’s hospital and wanted to fundraise for them to help make sure others can continue to receive the same help. My Facebook page has been a great way to meet and support others and I welcome anyone affected by cancer to join it.”
Click here to find out more about the Living With and Beyond Cancer Programme at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
