I was diagnosed with a deadly silent cancer and planned my own funeral but it was a cold that nearly killed me
WHEN Charlotte Woodward rang the bell in hospital to mark the end of treatment for advanced cervical cancer, she felt on top of the world.
But, six weeks later in April 2021, the devastated 33-year-old was told to get her affairs in order – tests had shown the disease had returned and spread, and this time it was terminal.
The nurse, from Fenton, Staffordshire, underwent six more rounds of gruelling chemotherapy and 15 sessions of radiotherapy, but she told herself to remain positive.
Then, in January 2022, she broke down in tears after receiving a call to say there was no trace of cancer in her body.
But rather than feeling elated, Charlotte experienced ‘survivor’s guilt’, because she had lived through the experience while others around her hadn’t.
Determined to make the most of her life, Charlotte was then struck down again months later.
She had deadly blood infection sepsis, which required three operations and left her needing to learn how to walk again.
“Not once did I think I was going to die – throughout it all. But it felt pretty close to it when I had sepsis,” Charlotte said.
“This whole experience has shown me that no one is guaranteed tomorrow so we have to make the most of the happy moments.
“Cervical cancer is a silent killer. Smears are really important, but they only prevent cancer – they don’t detect it.
“So if you have any symptoms or abnormal bleeding like I did, it’s really important to get checked out regardless of what your smears are.
“By the time the symptoms are there, it’s too late. Women need to know their bodies and recognise the signs and symptoms.”
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally.
Everyday in the UK there are nine new diagnoses and two women will lose their lives.
Charlotte first went to her GP for a smear test in September 2020, after twice bleeding during sex, but she was told she likely had nothing to worry about – and her results came back negative.
But believing something was wrong, Charlotte listened to her gut instinct and went back to her doctor, asking to be examined, and was referred to a gynaecologist at Royal Stoke University hospital.
During her appointment, the consultant removed a small polyp-like tumour on her cervix and took two biopsies, and Charlotte was called for an appointment in October 2020.
At Royal Stoke during an examination, a consultant explained she was trying to feel if Charlotte’s tumour was small enough to remove.
Charlotte says: “I tried not to let my mind run ahead of itself. But I said to the consultant, ‘Are you telling me I have cancer?’
“She told me my biopsies had come back with cancer cells but my tumour was too big to remove as she couldn’t feel around the edges. I went completely blank.
“She asked if I had children, as treatment was going to leave me infertile.”
She was told she’d need a hysterectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
At this point, she made the decision to freeze her eggs.
Devastated, Charlotte broke down in tears. She called her parents straightaway and they cried before insisting they’d get through it together.
Charlotte made the decision to remain positive.
‘TOO ADVANCED’
A few weeks later, she had CT, MRI and PET scans, but she was told she couldn’t have a hysterectomy as the cancer was too advanced and had spread to her lymph nodes.
In December 2020, Charlotte started treatment, radiotherapy five days a week for five weeks and chemo every week.
She rang the bell after five weeks of treatment followed by brutal brachytherapy (internal radiotherapy) in February 2021 and waited 12 weeks for a scan to see if it was successful.
Charlotte says: “The first week of radiotherapy absolutely floored me. I suffered sickness and I lost a lot of weight because I was constantly sick and not eating anything.
“I was given anti-sickness medicine which got things back under control.
“The brachytherapy was probably the worst – the pain was horrendous.
“I also lost my hair from chemo but it was just in my mind to do what I had to do to get better.”
Just six weeks later, in April 2021, Charlotte had pain in her hip.
Within a week, it was too painful for her to walk, so she used crutches and then a wheelchair. She knew her cancer had returned.
A scan revealed she was right – it was stage four terminal cervical cancer with metastasis to her bones and incurable. Charlotte was told to get her affairs in order.
She says: “[The consultant] said it’s incurable and whatever treatment was given next was going to be palliative options to prolong my life, but not to save it. It was devastating.
“It was just six months after my initial diagnosis and I was being told to get my affairs in order.”
Charlotte was referred to Birmingham Orthopaedic Hospital, which specialises in bone cancer, and started chemotherapy again.
In June 2021, she underwent surgery to replace her hip with metal. Despite being told she might not walk again, she walked out of hospital on crutches just a week later.
Charlotte says: “It wasn’t a standard hip replacement. It was eight hours long and I had to stay in bed for three days with a vacuum dressing on to make sure it healed properly.
“Once the epidural was taken away, I was more determined than ever to walk again.
“The physios sat me on the edge of the bed and I ended up walking around the room instead.
“I pushed myself everyday and they discharged me a week later.”
Her six rounds of chemo restarted two weeks later.
She made the most of the times she felt good, going on a caravan holiday to North Wales and her friends threw her a big party for her birthday in September.
She had 15 sessions of radiotherapy every day for three weeks, finishing in December.
In January 2022, her consultant called to say, “There’s no cancer at all in your body.’
Charlotte said: “Even at this point, I never thought I was going to die from cancer even though I’d been told it was terminal and treatment was about prolonging my life.
“When my phone rang and I saw the consultant’s number, my heart sank.
“It was 6pm and I knew it must be bad if they’re calling that late.
‘I BROKE DOWN’
“She had the scan results in front of her and told me she had really good news, there was no evidence of any metastatic disease.
“I told her I was glad the cancer was stable and she said, ‘No, Charlotte. There’s no cancer in your body at all’.
“I broke down, I couldn’t believe it and cried my eyes out.”
Charlotte was told she’d see her consultant every three months for a scan and a check-up.
But she experienced survivor’s guilt and had therapy as her mind struggled to adapt from planning her own funeral to being told she was going to live.
She said: “One minute you’re been told you’ve got to plan your funeral, the next, you’re fine and can live your life.
“I felt guilty. Other girls I’d spoken to online – who were really unwell – weren’t being offered the treatment I had.
“It made me question, ‘Why me?’ when people in similar situations hadn’t been so lucky.”
Cervical cancer signs
There are no obvious symptoms of cervical cancer during the early stages – that’s why it’s best to keep up with your smears when reminded by your GP.
However, vaginal bleeding can be a tell-tale sign, especially if it occurs after sex, in between periods or after the menopause, and should be checked out by your GP.
Other warning signs include:
- pain and discomfort during sex
- unusual or unpleasant vaginal discharge
- pain in your lower back or pelvis
In December 2022, what Charlotte thought was a winter cold turned into sepsis with an infection on her hip that needed urgent surgery.
She had nerve damage in her right foot and couldn’t move it. Doctors still don’t know if she’ll get feeling back.
She had to have her hip metal work replaced to stop the infection coming back.
Charlotte said: “I had a cold for a week and I didn’t feel well. I was shivering, shaking and my temperature was 40.8C.
“I didn’t let myself think the cancer was back but I had pain in my hip.
“Paramedics rushed me to hospital and found I had sepsis with an infection on my hip with a 21cm collection of pus. I was told I had serious bone sepsis.
“I thought it was ironic I was in remission from stage 4 cancer but sepsis nearly killed me.
“For the first time, I felt like I was going to die.”
Charlotte had antibiotics to clear the dangerous infection as well as three surgeries three weeks in a row and had to relearn to walk for the second time.
She’s now using two crutches and a splint. After a month in hospital, Charlotte is back in physio.
Charlotte says: “I’m home now and I’ve got to build the muscles up again and learn to walk again with foot paralysis.
“But I haven’t been disheartened, I try to keep positive and am adapting to the mobility I have.”
Charlotte’s life is slowly returning to a new ‘normal’ and she’s back on dating apps.
She wants to go back to work but not as an intensive care nurse as she can’t be on her feet for 12 hours a day.
She raises awareness of cervical cancer and share her story on her Instagram.
Charlotte says: “Cancer and sepsis both tried to kill me.
“To put it bluntly, we either thought I’d be dead or in hospital, but somehow I’m still here and so thankful to be able to carry on.
“I want to encourage people to never give up, never believe what anyone tells you if your gut tells you differently.
“Always believe in yourself as that’s what got me through, along with the love and support from my family and friends.”