A young mum has been diagnosed with cervical cancer – after she waited 10 years to go for a smear test.
Kim Montgomery, 31, said if she had not ignored the reminder letters about her smear test for so long she wouldn’t be fighting cancer today.
The mum-of-four was dealt the devastating news on Feb 5 and is now urging other women to attend screenings, even if they find it embarrassing.
Kim said medics fear she will need a hysterectomy and chemo, but she won’t know if the grade two cancer has spread until the results of an MRI come back.
She said being pregnant with her four children ‘back to back’ for three years led to her putting off the test.
But after experiencing abnormal bleeding for nine months, Kim finally decided she should have a smear test and said she ‘had a feeling’ she had cancer.
Kim, from Dunfermline, Fife, said: “I was told the cancer is grade two, but I don’t know what stage it is or if it has spread.
“I had the smear test on December 20 and then in the new year I got a letter to say I had abnormal cells.
“I thought right away it was cancer, I just had a feeling, but it wasn’t real until the doctors told me and I broke down.
“You automatically think you are going to die.
“I had been pregnant with my four children back to back for three years and you can’t have a smear test when you are pregnant.
“That was a huge factor in why I didn’t get one for so long, but I also just didn’t realise how important it was.
“I didn’t think I was ever going to get cancer – I am only 31.
“I got lots of reminders about going but I just ignored them.
“When I had my first one 10 years ago I remember it wasn’t nice so I wasn’t in a hurry to go back.”
Kim, mum to Macaulay, three, Kayla, five, Lacey, six, and Dylan, 11, is worried about having to tell her children she is dying if doctors give her a terminal diagnosis.
Devastated Kim said: “The doctors won’t be able to tell me how long I have had it, but if I had just gone for a test they would have caught it before it turned into cancer.
“I didn’t want to tell my children until I found out if it’s terminal.
“They know I am not well, and I have told my eldest who said right away ‘are you going to die’.
“The doctors said they think I will need chemo and a hysterectomy, which would mean going through the change.
“It’s really daunting and I wanted to have more children, but I just feel lucky I have my four.
“I had abnormal bleeding for more than nine months and I am still bleeding now.
“I was worried about it but I just kept putting it off until I thought enough is enough I have to go and get it done.”
Kim, who has worked as a hair extension technician, and her heartbroken partner, Dane Paten, 30, are now trying to raise money for alternative treatment.
Kim said: “I have been quoted £1,745 for CBD oil so we are trying to raise money for that.
“Since I announced I have cancer on Facebook 19 women have said it’s encouraged them to go and have their smear test done.
“I want to raise awareness of how important it is for people to have their smear test.
“I hope me sharing my story means more lives can be saved.”
Donate to Kim’s fundraising for alternative treatment at https://www.gofundme.com/f/trrhgz-alternative-cancer-treatment