WORKING two jobs, mum-of-two Esther Hodges said her busy life got in the way of important health checks.
The 49-year-old avoided cervical screening appointments for 13 years and has now shared her regret after being diagnosed with incurable cancer.
Esther Hodges who juggles two jobs as an accounts supervisor and cleaner, as well as being a mum-of-two, says her busy life got in the way of important health check upsJam Press
She is now battling incurable cervical cancer and is having a range of treatmentsJam Press
Esther Hodges with her grandchildren Nevaeh and Rhinaya has urged everyone to go for regular smear testsJam Press
Just over a year ago, the accounts supervisor from Barnet, London, was on a night out when she experienced a haemorrhage in a club toilet.
This is a loss of blood which usually comes from a damaged blood vessel.
Shortly after the incident, Esther’s earth shattered as she was diagnosed with stage two cervical cancer that is bordering on stage three.
Esther is now urging others to not make the same mistake she did, and to book in for life-saving smear tests.
She said: “I hate myself for missing my appointments and have to live with that now – for however long I have left.
“How I wish I took that 20 minutes out of my day to go to my appointment.
“It might have been picked up earlier and I wouldn’t be in this situation now.
“I had not had one since 2009 unfortunately – I just kept putting it off.”
Esther, who is also a grandmother, said she would get the odd letter from her GP asking her to book in, but she never made the appointment.
“It breaks my heart seeing so much hurt in my family and friends faces over this.
“I couldn’t tell my children [at first] and my step-mum was with me when I got the original diagnosis.
“When we left the appointment, she phoned my family and children to tell them, they were completely numb.”
Now, Esther said she feels as though she has ‘done this to herself’, and that it’s killing her that she won’t be able to see her children Charlotte, 29 and Keyona, 19, as well as her grandchildren, grow up.
“Can’t help but think if I only I went to my appointment they might have spotted it sooner,” she added.
The signs of cervical cancer you need to know
Cervical cancer is a cancer that’s found anywhere in the cervix, the NHS states.
The main symptoms include:
vaginal bleeding that’s unusual for you – this can include bleeding during or after sex, between your periods or after the menopause
heavier periods than usual
changes to your vaginal discharge
pain during sex
pain in your lower back, between your hip bones or in your lower tummy
If you have conditions like fibroids or endometriosis, the NHS states you may get symptoms like this on a regular basis.
However if they change, then it’s important to get them checked out.
It’s important that you get your smear tests when the NHS invites you.
You’ll get a letter in the post inviting you, with the first one being six months before you turn 25.
Between the ages of 25-49 you’ll be asked to attend an appointment every three years.
Then between the ages of 50 and 64, you’ll be asked every five years.
If you’re over the age of 65, you’ll only be invited if one of your last three tests were abnormal.
If you missed your last cervical screening, you do not need to wait for a letter to book an appointment, the NHS states.
Esther says that when it came to booking the smear test, life got in the way.
In November 2021, she stopped having contraceptive injections and began to experience pain.
She said that doctors dismissed the discomfort as hormones.
Esther said: “I started to get really bad lower back pain. It got to the point where I would be rolling round the floor in agony.
“I went to my GP and was told that it can take about three months for your hormones to go back to normal after coming off the contraceptive injection.
“They just told me to take paracetamol but it got so bad I started to go to my local A&E who basically said the same thing.”
Describing the pain, Esther said it felt as though she was in labour.
It was during her birthday night out that she experienced sharp pains in her stomach and told her friend she needed to go to the toilet immediately.
“I then found massive lumps of blood falling out of me.”
An ambulance was called and Esther was rushed to hospital, who arranged for her local oncologist to see her – and she was soon given the devastating news.
She said: “I felt so numb.”
Medics have told Esther that her cancer is treatable but not curable and she will have to go through a range of treatments, including 12 rounds of chemotherapy and 25 rounds of radiotherapy.
I know it’s never going to go and at some point, will kill me
Esther Hodges
On top of this, she is also having six rounds of a trial drug.
In September last year, Esther was told that the cancer had also spread to her lungs.
She said: “I felt so horrible I just asked if they could take my lung out but that is not an option.
“I asked my consultant what the survival rate is and she said half her patients are still here within the two years and sadly half have passed. It’s all about how my body reacts to treatment.
“I know it’s never going to go and at some point, will kill me.
“But they are trying to contain it and stop it spreading anywhere else.”
Esther has been overwhelmed with the amount of support her friends and family have provided her in this time of need.
As she is unsure of how much time she has left, the mum plans on making every moment count with the people who mean most to her.
She said: “Everybody is devastated and just there for support.
“I don’t want to know how long I could have left so I am just trying to carry on being me. I will just let nature take its course.
“I want to make lots of special memories with my loved ones and do as much fund raising as I can for them to speak and remember me for the good I’ve done.”
Esther is also focusing her efforts on raising money and awareness for charities including Great Ormond Street Hospital.
She hopes to spread one very clear message: don’t miss your health appointments.
She said: “Please take the time out of your day to go for a cervical screening.
“You think it will not happen to you but it can – I’m a prime example.
“I am just trying to take each day as it comes and just enjoy however long I have left.”
Esther (centre), said she is now taking each day as it comes and is enjoying ‘however long’ she has leftJam Press Read More