Embarrassing bodies

Hi Ladies

From reading a few posts on here it seems that the embarrassing bodies cancer special show has caused quite a bit of upset regarding the Drs comment about CC being "essentially an STD". When I agreed to do the show my motives were to raise more awareness of CC especially to help other young ladies like myself who are experiencing symptoms yet are being fobbed off from their GPs due to their age and not being given the opportunity to have a smear test. I wanted to show that yes ladies under 25 do in fact get CC and our lives are put at risk as we are not tested. When the piece was fimed and the DR said it was sexually transmitted it upset me also and for the first time I doubted what I was doing but they did include the facts about HPV and that it can lay dormant in the body for years without the person knowing, which hopefully would stop any doubt about long term partners having been unfaithful, she did also say that you only have to have sex once to contract HPV  and that 4 out 5 people will have it at some point in their lives. Anybody who knows me knows I have never slept around and even if I had does that mean I or any of us deserve cancer or abnormal cells? Would any of us think less of a person who has contracted HIV for example because they had sex with an infected person I know i definately wouldn't and anyone who did is just ignorant. 99.7% of cervical cancers are caused by HPV so yes not all CC is caused by it but the vast majority of it is, does it make the 0.3% more socially acceptable I think not.

I had no control as to what was edited on the show but I was happy with the HPV facts that were highlighted, I have had no one approach me or comment about how I got CC only positive support from all my friends family and even strangers. If we continue to be upset and ashamed that we are in this position through having contracted a STD how can we ever lift the stigma and continue to raise awareness. I am sorry if the show offended anybody.

Love Nat xxx

     

Hi Natalie

I have to admit I was slightly annoyed at how the doctor put it across and how the programme was edited, however at no point did I think it was your doing at how it was screened...At 32 I struggled with diagnosis and treatment so at 22 I have no idea where you have gathered your strength, and I only show admiration and respect for you.

I did feel you looked a bit overwhelmed which is so understandable, in the midst of you facing an uncertain future you where doing something so positive to raise awareness. As Ive thought about it more, I think the programme was trying to cram in different and various types of cancer that maybe some issues simply did not get the adequate time to explain things in detail. I think some may get annoyed simply by how the doctor put it, 'essentially it is an std'. i think she could have chosen her words a little bit better.

All that being said you should be proud of yourself for how you came across, you showed nothing but dignity throughout. I hope your next scan clears up any doubts they had, your an amazing young woman who has coped with a lot and you deserve a long  happy healthy life and I will keep you in my prayers.

Lots of hugs

Nic xx

Hi Natalie,

As I said on the FB site, the editing was out of your control and I have nothing but admiration for your bravery in agreeing to do it in the first place, and to highlight the fact that people under 25 do get CC! If it changes people's understanding and gets more people to take up their smear invitation, then you can be very proud that your actions may well have saved lives. It will hopefully also give the under 25s the confidence to be more assertive when they are experiencing CC symptoms...

Hugs,

Ceri xx

Thanks ladies

I do agree Nic that she could have and should have worded it differently but if by me doing this programme it does like ceri says makes more women take up their smear test and spreads awareness of the symptoms so no other young woman is like me and doesn't tell anyone before it's too late than I will have achieved what I set out to do. Thank you again for your kind words I will continue to tell my story as I am definately not ashamed about how I may have got this disease and I really hope that from the Drs comments nobody going through this gets negative comments from their so called friends if they do then they are not friends at all and need better educating.

 

Love nat xxx  

Natalie I think you done amazing on the show and achieved your goal of raising awareness. I am sorry if my original post in any way came across as any criticism of you as I am full of admiration for what you done and i did not mean to detract from the good you done by posting about the drs comments.I am certain that it will encourage young girls to go to the dr if they present with any symptoms. I have to admit I don't remember them giving many facts about HPV, I think I was so blind sided by the drs comments. I do think there was no need for the dr to make such a comment as it did not add any value to the piece. Both on and off this forum girls were questioning the fidelity of there partners as a result of the comment so for many all it achieved was questions. I think your post has clarified a lot and I'm sure if I went back and watched it I may myself view it a bit differently. All the best for your results, I can't even imagine the torture of waiting x

Hi Toca

Thank you for your supportive comments I knew you weren't criticising me and I fully understand you being angry at the way she said it. Although it did not add any value to the piece I guess whenever the subject of CC is being covered that HPV awareness does need to be included and how it is contracted. Before all this I knew nothing of the symptoms of CC and I had never heard of HPV but I had heard of all the other STD's so more awareness on this subject does need to be made. The idea of the show is to be informative and if it left people with more questions, then it was not as successful as it should have been and the DR needs to examine the way she addresses sensitive subjects in the future.  I really hope it does not put people off seeking help if they are experiencing symptoms or going for a smear test.

 I am having a PET scan in Dec and get the results on the 7th Jan and yes the waiting is torture, the waiting is always the worst bit but I am trying to stay positive and pray that it is just scar tissue.

Hope your doing well

Love Nat xxx   

Hi Nat,

I really commend you for bringing attention to cervical cancer. I thought you came across really well - I cried tears for you but was then amazed at your strength and bravery going through treatment. I have my fingers and toes crossed that you will be given the all clear - please keep us posted. Like the other commenters, I too thought the Doctor's remark about CC being "an STD" was a little shocking but I think these kind of televison shock tactics are needed. I, for one, had never heard of HPV (since being diagnosed with CIN 2/3 - I have become an expert!). Sex education at school focussed on periods, pregnancy, AIDS/HIV, herpes, chlamydia etc but not a virus that 4/5 of us will come into contact with. My boyfriend was also clueless (and we consider ourselves to be well-informed, intelligent peeps!). There is no shame in drawing attention to the root cause of CC - I was angry with myself for not knowing. So I thank you a million times over for letting people share your experience. 

Thanks Hun

If it helps even one person then it makes it all worthwhile.

Hope your doing ok

Love Nat xxx

Totally agree that HPV needs brought up and discussed and as you say it then takes away the stigma. If more was known about HPV people wouldn't be left worrying that there partner had cheated ect. I also didn't know much about it before finding out I had cancer and think so much more education is needed round it. I think the programe was right to include it and have no problem that HPV is an STD but still don't agree CC is an STD. Appreciate I must have had HPV to get CC but several other factors would have resulted in me having CC.

Wish for you that you could get your scan before Christmas, how good a Christmas present would that be. Iv spoke to so many people who were touched by your story and are hoping for great news for you x

We are the new Aids victims?  uh oh :(

Omg, i knew the facts on hpv being the cause .... and this has led me to think of it technically an std. but more importantly the C word bit spooks a lot more than std. i think we see stds as a tarty thing, but its what humans do- we are guilty of loving.

just about to watch the mentioned programme. 

 

natty- youre so brave <3