Student, 23, died of cervical cancer after smear test denied as too young

Student, 23, died of cervical cancer after smear test denied as too young Read more: www.metro.co.uk...

www.metro.co.uk

Mercedes Curnow was ignored when she first visited her doctor aged 20 despite displaying ‘classic symptoms’ of the disease, her mother, Sandra Cousins, said.
She repeatedly visited her doctor for 12 months but was diagnosed with cervical cancer only after a family member took her in agony to A&E, it was claimed. The photography student died in December – 20 months after being taken to hospital.


Read more: www.metro.co.uk...

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.dailymail.co.uk
theunhivedmind.com
en.wikipedia.org

A young girl has just died of an illness that if caught early enough can be treated and she would still be alive today, all because doctors said she was too young! What is there now an age limit on cervical cancer? If someone is presenting with the exact symptoms surely they should be tested, especially after repeatedly visiting her doctor over 12 months and they still took no notice, the age limit for smear testing should be brought down it can save lives.Cancer is a killer we need to get it treated early! More women need to be alerted to the symptoms so they can catch this disease early,an doctors need to take more notice and stop ignoring obvious symptoms

www.metro.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

20 is too young over there? I had to start doing that at 16. It's every year until you are 30 and every other year after that (or as your doctor dictates).

Her doctor was 20? Wow I'm impressed.

It used to be you got tested from whatever age you became sexually active.
I guess though, because cervical cancer is still relatively rare for the under 25's they changed it, probably to save money.
Wonder if she had one of those implants. For some girls they can cause the same irregular bleeding / pain that's typical of cc symptoms, yet the doctors dismiss them too.

reply to post by Domo1

Where did it say her doctor was 20? This is a serious matter and yes the age limit in the uk for cervical smear tests is 25.

women are sent their first invitation for routine cervical screening at the age of 25 between the ages of 25–49 you're invited for cervical screening every three years from the age of 50–64 you're invited for screening every five years.

www.macmillan.org.uk...
The age limit should be lowered

And people think universal health care is a good thing. Medicine should not be a for profit industry. But it also shouldn't be run by number crunchers who determine what is and what isn't cost effective.

One wonders if she was personally paying the doctors bill if he'd of been more receptive to her concerns and symptoms.

Government will first always care for the greater good and second care for those who contribute to the tax base.

Government decided either directly or indirectly that that womans death was an acceptable loss.

reply to post by SilentNoise

I quite agree with you, more and more these days medicine is becoming big profit buisness without thought for the individual.All they care about is how much they can make off which drug , and they are doing it at the expense of human lives.

Originally posted by antonia
20 is too young over there? I had to start doing that at 16. It's every year until you are 30 and every other year after that (or as your doctor dictates).

Canada too. We're sexually active usually before that, and doctors know this.

And to actually deny the test is ridiculous. If the test is wanted, it should be given. Especially if symptoms are present. Over here, I'm sure we could request the test at the age of 12 if we said that we were sexually active.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


In what way does saying that the government thought her death was justified (They didn't, they just didn't want to pay for a test) make anything better?

This is just a victory for ignorance and man's inhumanity to man

reply to post by SilentNoise


Universal healthcare is a great thing. This story isn't about 'universal healthcare' it's about 1 silly rule that should be done away with completely.

reply to post by imnothereru


This is an excellent case of needing an advocate. If this was my daughter, I would be RAISING THE ROOF, until she had the necessary tests. I'm talkin' Mama Grizzly...

I blame the medical field for this oversight, obviously, but we can learn from this that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. I saw this when my grandmother was in the hospital and in terrible pain. The nurse refused to increase the dose of painkiller other than what was on the chart, and the doctor was not available to approve. I want to tell you - my mother raised holy hell in that hospital and my grandmother got her painkiller.

Another example is when my cousin's child had horrible stomach pains, vomiting, fever, etc. over a period of several weeks. The doctor kept discounting the possibility of appendicitis, and didn't want to do exploratory surgery even though my cousin felt strongly that's what it was. My cousin persisted so vehemently, that the doctor gave in, and guess what - it was acute appendicitis. The child probably would have died in a few more days if my cousin hadn't raised hell.

Advocates truly help, but you have to be willing to stand up to the doctors, and not stand down until you get what you want.

reply to post by lifeissacred


Wrong. It IS about universal health care. That is a UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE LAW. If a private doctor and private lab handled the request, different outcome......like it would have been tested!

It happened to a patient in a country with universal health care. Doesn't take a rocket scientist.

Originally posted by Gridrebel
reply to post by lifeissacred

 

Wrong. It IS about universal health care. That is a UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE LAW. If a private doctor and private lab handled the request, different outcome......like it would have been tested!

It happened to a patient in a country with universal health care. Doesn't take a rocket scientist.

Canada has health care provided for us, and if she was living here, she would have started to get tested at the age of sexual activity, whether that be 14 or 18. And she would have had a pap smear every year after.

Countries with health care are usually big on prevention, like the proper health check ups, and tests.

reply to post by Mkoll


It doesnt make it better.

That's the point.

People forget what their governments are like. And that simple bureaucracy can and does kill.

Hopefully a reminder like this can make us more aware of our governments role and power and nudge us to act accordingly.

Red tape kills.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


Sorry, I misunderstood what you were saying. The sad thing is I don't see how we can do universal health care and not have things like this happen

Originally posted by snowspirit

Originally posted by antonia
20 is too young over there? I had to start doing that at 16. It's every year until you are 30 and every other year after that (or as your doctor dictates).

Canada too. We're sexually active usually before that, and doctors know this.

And to actually deny the test is ridiculous. If the test is wanted, it should be given. Especially if symptoms are present. Over here, I'm sure we could request the test at the age of 12 if we said that we were sexually active.

This may be TMI but i wasn't sexually active until I was 20. I just remember my mother telling me I had to do it and it was done every year until I came off her insurance. When that happened she told me to go to the health department. A pap smear is not expensive at all so this just boggles my mind.

Didn't we already cure cancer with stem cells? O yea people would rather have people die of cancer, then kill all the helpless little fetuses

This is so unbelievably tragic.

When I was around 19-23, in my close circle of girlfriends there was 7 out of 10 of us who had cancer of the cervix.
Statistically this was shocking. Thankfully it was found early in each case, & all girls went on to live happy, healthy lives.
I thank God that we are all encouraged to have pap smears from 18 onwards to detect it early here in Australia.

Having said that I personally don't know ANY older women that have had this. I would have thought this to be a 'younger womans' disease, as thats been my only experience.

My condolences to that poor womans family.