A mum who endured an agonising pregnancy was handed a deadly cancer diagnosis just five months after giving birth.
Nicola Cameron, from Scotland, was left in “agony” throughout her pregnancy and she claims medical professionals believed all her pain was linked to her pregnancy.
But this turned out not to be the case and Nicola has handed a shock stage three cervical cancer diagnosis just five months after giving birth at the start of this year.
Doctors found a three-inch tumour on the 29-year-old's cervix.
"At first, when they told me it was cancer, I couldn't take in the news – I was in shock," she told NeedToKnow.online.
"It was my worst fear. I thought I was going to die and never get to see my beautiful daughter, Blair, grow up and that she would have to go through her life without knowing her mum.
"The doctor started to explain things to me as best they could and I had to interrupt and say ‘sorry, did you say that you think this is definitely cancer?’
"And when she answered yes, that’s when I started crying.”
Nicola says after the diagnosis she felt numb and it took a couple of weeks before the news sunk in.
Once it did, the heartbroken new mum said she would cry everyday for the next two weeks.
Nicola added: "The smallest things would set me off as I was just so scared about the future and what was going to happen to me, and also my family if the worst outcome was to happen."
The symptoms that Nicola experienced for almost a year and half of her diagnosis included severe cramps, pain during sex and bleeding.
She claims doctors originally diagnosed her with cervical ectropion, which is when cells grow outside of the cervix.
This was largely caused due to the contraceptive pill she was taking at the time and so she stopped taking her birth control pills and got pregnant three weeks later.
After giving birth on January 25, Nicola began to lose weight at an alarming rate.
She said: ”I was initially being told that all the pain and bleeding was down to my emergency C-section and that it was my insides healing.
"At one point I was on 32 tablets a day including antidepressants, as I was also diagnosed with postnatal depression.”
On July 5, Nicola was rushed to the hospital after "crying in pain" where she was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Since, Nicola has gone through three rounds of chemotherapy and is due to start radiotherapy next month, along with brachytherapy.
The physical and mental symptoms are taking a toll on Nicola, who now hopes she will get to see her new-born daughter grow up.
"I just want her to grow up to be happy and healthy, as every mother does."
"I’m also scared at the thought of getting better, then cancer reoccurring, and having to go through all this again when my daughter is older and will know more about what is going on."
Nicola wants to continue to raise awareness about her diagnosis and help other women.
She said: "If you feel that something is not right with your body, please, please, please, push to find out what it is.
"Don’t let your pain or symptoms be pushed aside as you never know when it’s going to be too late for you."
