Mum told she was 'too young' for smear test dies of cervical cancer aged 22

Tragic Jade Pateman was told she had up to two years to live but died last Thursday 

Jade Pateman and her son Oscar.
Jade Pateman with two-year-old son Oscar North News and Pictures
By TOM GILLESPIE
A YOUNG mum denied a smear test because of her age died of cervical cancer aged just 22.
Tragic Jade Pateman, who leaves behind two-year-old son Oscar, developed the illness at the end of 2014 but was only diagnosed last May.
Doctors told Jade she had between 18 months and two years to live, but her disease intensified quicker than expected and she died last Thursday.
Before her death the mum, from County Durham, had campaigned for the cervical screening age to be lowered from 25 to 20.
Jade believed if had she been offered the test it would have saved her life, despite health professionals advising her it would have done more harm than good at her age.
After launching an online petition brave Jade said: "There are too many people being told: 'Sorry, we can't help you.'
"I believe if I had been given the cervical screening when I was 20, I could have had the abnormal cells removed and be fine now.
Jade Pateman and her son Oscar.
Open wide: Jade having fun with her son North News and Pictures
"Instead, because I was classed as being too young, the cells developed into cancer and now it's spread around my body.
"It only takes a minute for one person to wake up and realise what is going on.
"I mentioned it to the staff when I've been in hospital and they say they agree, but that's not enough, it's got to come from the top.
"That's why I started the petition. I know that there's nothing that can be done for me now and I've accepted that I'm never going to grow old, but it can save other women.
"They say it does more harm than good to be tested younger than 25, but how? It's caused me more harm not being screened."
Smear tests are not designed to detect cancer - they look for abnormalities that have the potential to develop into cancer at a later date.
Cervical cancer often doesn't have any symptoms but the most common is irregular bleeding in between periods, after sex, or after the menopause.
Jade was initially treated with antibiotics for an inflamed cervix, but when tests came back clear she referred to a different clinic dedicated to searching for abnormal cells.
It was then revealed she had a 6cm tumour on her cervix which had already spread to the lymph nodes in her stomach, chest, and neck.
Jade finished chemotherapy just before Christmas, but three weeks ago she was told the cancer had spread to her liver and it was terminal.
The young mum died at home with her devastated family around her.
After Jade's tragic death a Public Health England spokeswoman said smear tests do more harm than good for women younger than 25.
She said: "Women below the age of 25 often undergo natural and harmless changes in the cervix that screening would identify as cervical abnormalities.
"Despite this, cervical cancer is very rare in this age group. In most cases these abnormalities resolve themselves without any need for treatment.
"Research has shown if women suffer unnecessary treatment, this could have an adverse effect on their future childbearing."

 

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