Woman died of cervical cancer after 'being refused smear test 15 times'

NZ Herald

30 Nov, 2020 01:05 AM2 mins to read

Emma Swain was just 23 when she died of cervical cancer after medics dismissed her symptoms 15 times. Photo / Facebook

A young British woman who was allegedly refused a smear test 15 times by her GP had died of cervical cancer just one year later.

Emma Swain, 23, was experiencing symptoms of the fatal disease and begged for help.

However, she was told she was overreacting due to the "Jane Goody effect", a woman who went public with her cancer diagnoses that led to hundreds of thousands of more women getting a test.

Her doctors said she was too young for the test. They now admit she would probably still be alive if she was given the test.

Swain was just 23 when she died in October 2014 and had been suffering from back pain and bleeding after sex but her GP merely told her to change her contraceptive pill.

Swain's dad Darren has been fighting for six years for an apology and was awarded compensation after his battle for his daughter.

Emma Swain was just 23 when she died of cervical cancer after medics dismissed her symptoms 15 times. Photo / Facebook

"To have watched one of your children go through that and to know it could have been prevented is incredibly hard to accept," Darren told The Mirror.

"We trusted these people – the professionals – to know what they were doing. I'll never forgive them.

"Basically, he told her she was worrying over nothing. He couldn't have been more wrong. It cost Emma her life."

Emma Swain experienced symptoms and asked for a smear test 15 times. Photo / Facebook

Swain's GP has reviewed its practices since her death and say they are ensuring "lessons have been learnt".

Women aged between 25 and 49 are encouraged by the NHS to get screened for cervical cancer every three years, and peopled aged 50 to 64 every five years.

Reality star Jade Goody was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2008 after she missed an appointment to get abnormal cells removed. The cancer spread to her bowel, liver and groin and she died in 2009.