Newquay woman urges others to have smear tests after surviving cervical cancer
Anna Ridley was told she might not survive after her symptoms showed a large tumour
A brave woman from Cornwall, who overcame cervical cancer and a stroke after being told she might not survive, is urging women to get regular checks.
Anna Ridley was aged 38 when she got diagnosed with cervical cancer after experiencing symptoms and missing her previous routine screening.
During her second round of treatment, she suffered a rare stroke and survived after months of treatment.
Anna told us: "I discovered I had it when I had abnormal bleeding and unusual backache and found out I had quite a big tumour.
"Mine is an unusual situation because I had a stroke during my treatment. It was mostly because my immune system was pretty low from having chemo and cancer, so it a knock-on effect from things that weren't really linked - not directly due to chemotherapy".
She had to have her chemotherapy cut short as a result of the stroke and was given alternative treatments when in hospital.
"I feel very lucky to still be here"
Anna continued: "I wasn't even aware. I wasn't actually expected to survive. It was on New Years Eve (2018) when I had my stroke and it was very much they thought I wasn't going to make it.
"I got the all clear in October in 2019 so I'm in remission and they've been really good, they keep an eye on you and make sure there's no symptoms. The recovery from my stroke has been a bit longer".
Four years on from the start of her health battle, including time in hospital she hardly remembers, she's campaigning for other woman to attend their screenings when they're offered to them.
She's asking women and people with a cervix to get to know their gynaecological health, regularly check themselves and get cervical screenings whether they have symptoms or not.
She told us: "I hadn't had my smear before that but I know that is something I would hugely urge people to have. Even if you're a bit late, it's so easy to forget that you've got one coming because I'd moved house a couple of times, so your letters come to different houses".
It comes as recent figures show that one in four people in the South West didn't attend their cervical screenings after being sent an invite.
The NHS data also revealed cervical screening prevents 70% of cervical cancer deaths.
It's part of a campaign which has launched, calling on all eligible people to go to their cervical screenings if they've been invited.
Anna actively campaigns to raise awareness of cervical cancers and gynaecological issues online since she made her recovery.
She's is currently working on setting up her podcast 'Viva La Foo Foo' now her speech is back and hopes it will encourage people to check symptoms and go for smear tests.
Anna continued: "It's not worth ignoring it for the sake that it's probably three or four minutes. It's quick and easy and they'll talk you through the process and if you have any worries you can tell them.
"If you don't know your bodies and don't look out for different symptoms, how are you going to know what's going on. So it's really just raising the awareness and cutting out that stigma which is obviously associated with cervical cancer or any cancer in that area".