A woman who was diagnosed with cervical cancer at the third stage of 25 after delaying the routine spreading test initially believed that her symptoms were associated with her just -clinging copper coil.
Jasmine McKi, who is already 26 years old, from Southampton, Hampshire, said he began to experience pain in the lower back and bleed after sex in 2023.
Despite her concerns, she slowed down to attend her screening on the cervix until March 2024, admitting that she was postponed by “horror stories online.”
Five weeks later, she was told that she was a positive HPV with a large number of abnormal cells, although she had the vaccine at school. Later, this was confirmed as cervical cancer at the third stage, which means that the cancer has spread to the surrounding tissue.
The diagnosis left her feeling “numb”.
Jasmine has been diagnosed with cervical cancer at 25 years old (Collect/PA)
She said she underwent surgery and radiation in January 2025, but when they were both unsuccessful, she began chemotherapy in April.
She shaved her head in anticipation of hair loss, with her six -year -old niece Darcy May Rose, cutting 12 cm from her own hair in support.
Jasmine, which is expected to complete treatment in September 2025, says the experience has emphasized the importance of cervical screening, and she criticizes the NHS England’s decision to change HPV’s negative screenings for those from 25 to 49 every three years to five.
“When there are major changes like this, they may feel that they (NHS England) don’t really take women’s health seriously,” she said.
“I think this was probably one of my first thoughts when I first read about the changes … It may feel quite negligible.
Jasmine begins to bleed after sex and experience pain in the lower back in 2023 (collection/PA)
“It is a terrible thought that there may be women to go under the radar.”
In March 2023, Jasmine had a copper coil mounted and at about the same time began to experience lower back pain, bleed after sex and irregular periods, which she assumed to be due to the intrauterine device (Iud).
She turned 25 in December and delayed her cervical screening after reading “horror stories online”, eventually present in March 2024 – although she now realizes that there is nothing to worry about about the test and she had to go out immediately.
“I was in and out of 10 minutes and it was painless for me,” she said.
Jasmine felt “tingling” after receiving the diagnosis (Collect/PA)
About five weeks later, she said doctors confirmed that it was a positive HPV, with a large number of abnormal cellular changes.
Two weeks later, she said she had a biopsy and internal and external ultrasounds, and another two weeks told her that there was cancer in the third stage of the cervix.
“Everything just tingles a little … It’s just such a big shock,” she said.
“My thought went through my head,” What will I say to my grandparents? “
“I didn’t really tell my family for a long time.
Jasmine had surgery hoping to remove the tumor, but it was unsuccessful (collecting/PA)
“I didn’t want the people who feel sad for me most. I just didn’t want them to worry.”
Jasmine said that, later, doctors confirm that her wider symptoms were signs of cervical cancer, not the coil.
Jasmine said she had surgery in November 2024 to try to remove the tumor in her cervix, but the doctors failed to remove it completely and he continued to grow to two to five centimeters of size.
In January 2025, she began radiation therapy, five days a week for three weeks, and decided to tell her family about her diagnosis.
Jasmine currently has chemotherapy (collection/PA)
“They were upset, but so supportive, I felt bad that I didn’t tell them,” she said.
“(Radiation therapy) just made me feel so tired that I could sleep 24 hours a day.”
Unfortunately, scanning revealed that radiation therapy was not effective and jasmine began chemotherapy in April 2025.
“I was just disappointed after experiencing all this not to work. She felt pointless,” she said.
Doctors said she had a great chance she would lose her hair, so she shaved her head to remain “controlled” and donated her hair to Little Princess Trust, making wigs for children and young people.
Jasmine with his niece, Darcy May (collection/pa)
Her niece Darcy May also cut 12 cm from her own hair in support, making jasmine “burst into tears.”
It now has eight rounds of chemotherapy every three weeks and is expected to complete treatment in early September 2025.
“After I am better, I will grab every opportunity and get as much as possible for life,” she said.
Main symptoms of cervical cancer
Nhs
Symptoms of cervical cancer include:
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vaginal bleeding that is unusual for you – including bleeding during either after sex, between your periods or after menopause, or with a larger periods than usual
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Changes to your vaginal discharge
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Lower back pain, between the bones of the thighs (pelvis) or at the lower abdomen
According to the NHS England of July 2025, the younger women between the ages of 25 to 49 years who test negatively for HPV – which means they are at a very low risk of cervical cancer – will be invited for screening every five years instead of three.
The approach is based on evidence and an expert recommendation from the National Center for Screening of the UK and is based on an analysis by King’s College London, showing five -year screening, is just as safe as three years of age, with the same number of cancers found.
This change will lead to screening of the cervix in England in accordance with Scotland, Wales and other European countries and will events the screening intervals with those of women aged 50 to 64, where they are invited every five years.
But Jasmine believes that change is a step in the wrong direction.
Jasmine’s niece trimmed her hair in solidarity (collecting/pa)
“He (cervical screening) will not always lead to a diagnosis, but it’s just to be on a safe side,” she said.
“Every three years, it’s obviously a long time in itself, but I think a lot can happen in five years and then someone may not know about cancer or something else until it’s too late and can be prevented with more regular spreading tests.
“So I think (the change) was disappointing to read.”
Currently, any woman who has HPV or has a recent HPV history will continue to be invited to more frequent screening to check that the virus has cleared and, if not, to check for changes in cells in the cervix.
Looking back at his experience, Jasmine realized the importance of cervical screenings and calls on other women not to delay their appointments.
Jasmine was nervous that at the beginning he did a cervical screening (collection/pa)
She said: “They (tests for cervical screening screening) are not an uncomfortable thing, nurses will do 20 of them a day, no one is interested.
“It’s so fast that it’s not something to be scared of and they can save your life.”
NHS England spokesman said: “We admit that changes in cervical screening may seem disturbing, but they want to reassure everyone that this new approach is based on stable scientific evidence and an expert recommendation by the National Center for the United Kingdom screening.
“The Cervical Screening Program NHS for human papillomavirus (HPV) and uses a better and more accurate test than before.
“This means that if you test negatively for HPV, you do not need to show up as often as the risk of developing cervical cancer is very low.
“If you test positively for HPV, we will monitor you more closely with additional tests and subsequent meetings.
“This personalized approach guarantees that everyone receives the right level of screening based on their individual risk factors, providing better protection while reducing unnecessary procedures.”
The NHS website says that anyone who is worried about the symptoms of cervical cancer should see their doctor.
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