Erdington woman's health check up saved her life

Jul 27 2010 by Diane Parkes, Birmingham Mail

WHEN Claire Dutton was told she had cervical cancer her immediate thought was that it was a death sentence – but 12 months later she is cancer free and back to health.

Claire’s cancer was picked up through a routine smear test and she is now backing a campaign aiming to inform women about cervical cancer and urging them to go for their check-ups.

Claire, a key account manager for a travel firm, was unprepared for the bad news when she was first told specialists had found abnormal cells.

“I have always gone for my smear tests since I was 18 and they have always been clear,” recalls the 38-year-old who lives in Erdington. “Last July I went as normal and then I received a letter in September saying I had ‘severe dyskaryosis’. They said it was a ‘minor abnormality’ so I didn’t really think it would be anything serious.” Recalled to Sutton Coldfield’s Good Hope Hospital, Claire underwent a colposcopy, an examination of the cervix, and had cells removed for a biopsy.

“I had a phone call from the hospital at 9am on a Monday morning in December,” recalls Claire. “They said they needed to see me the next day.

“When I got that phone call I knew it was going to be cancer. And then it went through my head that if it was cancer, how long would I have. The only person I knew who had had cervical cancer was Jade Goody and she had died of it.