A woman who was diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer at 25 after delaying a routine smear test initially believed her symptoms were linked to her newly fitted copper coil.
Jasmin McKee, now 26, from Southampton, Hampshire, said she began experiencing lower back pain and bleeding after sex in 2023.
Despite her concerns, she delayed attending her cervical screening until March 2024, admitting she was put off by “horror stories online”.
Five weeks later, she was told she was HPV positive with a large number of abnormal cells, despite having had the vaccine at school. This was later confirmed as stage three cervical cancer, meaning the cancer had spread into the surrounding tissue.
The diagnosis left her feeling тАЬnumbтАЭ.
She said she had surgery in November 2024 and radiotherapy in January 2025, but when both were unsuccessful, she began chemotherapy in April.
She shaved her head in anticipation of hair loss, with her six-year-old niece, Darcy May Rose, cutting 12cm of her own hair in support.
Jasmin, who is expected to finish treatment in September 2025, says the experience has highlighted the importance of cervical screening, and she has criticised NHS EnglandтАЩs decision to change HPV-negative screenings for those aged 25 to 49 from every three years to five.
тАЬWhen there are big changes like this, it can feel like they (NHS England) are not really taking womenтАЩs health seriously,тАЭ she said.
тАЬI think that was probably one of my first thoughts when I first read about the changesтАж it can feel quite dismissive.
тАЬItтАЩs a scary thought that there could be women who go under the radar.тАЭ
In March 2023, Jasmin had a copper coil fitted and, around the same time, began experiencing lower back pain, bleeding after sex and irregular periods, which she assumed were due to the intrauterine device (IUD).
She turned 25 that December and delayed her cervical screening after reading тАЬhorror stories onlineтАЭ, eventually attending in March 2024 тАУ although she now realises she had тАЬnothing to worry aboutтАЭ in terms of the test itself, and should have gone straightaway.
тАЬI was in and out in 10 minutes and, for me, it was painless,тАЭ she said.
About five weeks later, she said doctors confirmed she was HPV positive, with a large number of abnormal cell changes.
Two weeks after that, she said she had a biopsy and internal and external ultrasounds, and another fortnight on, she was told she had stage three cervical cancer.
тАЬEverything just goes a bit numbтАж itтАЩs just such a big shock,тАЭ she said.
тАЬThe thought did go through my head of, тАШWhat am I going to tell my grandparents?тАЩ
тАЬI actually didnтАЩt tell my family for quite a while.
тАЬI didnтАЩt want the people that I love the most feeling sad for me. I just didnтАЩt want them to worry.тАЭ
Jasmin said that doctors later confirmed her earlier symptoms had been signs of cervical cancer, not the coil.
Jasmin said she had surgery in November 2024 to try and remove the tumour in her cervix, but doctors were unable to remove it completely and it was continuing to grow to two to five centimetres in size.
In January 2025, she began radiotherapy, five days a week for three weeks, and decided to tell her family about her diagnosis.
тАЬThey were upset but so supportive, I felt bad for not telling them,тАЭ she said.
тАЬ(The radiotherapy) just made me feel so tired, I could have slept for 24 hours a day.тАЭ
Unfortunately, scans revealed the radiotherapy had not been effective, and Jasmin began chemotherapy in April 2025.
тАЬI was just frustrated after going through all of it for it not to work. It felt pointless,тАЭ she said.
Doctors said there was a high chance she could lose her hair, so she shaved her head to stay тАЬin controlтАЭ and donated her hair to The Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for children and young people.
Her niece, Darcy May, also cut 12cm of her own hair in support, making Jasmin тАЬburst into tearsтАЭ.
She is now having eight rounds of chemotherapy, every three weeks, and is expected to finish treatment in early September 2025.
тАЬOnce IтАЩm better, IтАЩm going to grab every opportunity and get as much happiness out of life as possible,тАЭ she said.
Main symptoms of cervical cancer
NHS
Symptoms of cervical cancer include:
- vaginal bleeding that’s unusual for you тАУ including bleeding during or after sex, between your periods or after the menopause, or having heavier periods than usual
- changes to your vaginal discharge
- pain during sex
- pain in your lower back, between your hip bones (pelvis), or in your lower tummy
According to NHS England, from July 2025, younger women aged 25 to 49 who test negative for HPV тАУ meaning they are at very low risk of cervical cancer тАУ will be invited for screening every five years instead of three.
The approach is based on evidence and expert recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee and is based on analysis from KingтАЩs College London showing five-yearly screening is just as safe as three-yearly, with the same number of cancers found.
This change will bring cervical screening in England in line with Scotland, Wales, and other European countries, and align screening intervals to those of women aged 50 to 64, where they are invited every five years.
But Jasmin believes the change is a step in the wrong direction.
тАЬIt (a cervical screening) wonтАЩt always lead to a diagnosis, but itтАЩs just to be on the safe side,тАЭ she said.
тАЬEvery three years is obviously a long time in itself, but I think a lot can happen in five years, and then someone might not know about cancer or something else until itтАЩs too late, and it could have been prevented with more regular smear tests.
тАЬSo I do think (the change) was disappointing to read.тАЭ
At present, any woman who has HPV or has a recent history of HPV will continue to be invited to more frequent screenings to check that the virus has cleared and, if not, to check for cell changes in the cervix.
Looking back on her experience, Jasmin has realised the importance of cervical screenings and is urging other women not to delay their appointments.
She said: тАЬThey (cervical screening tests) are not an embarrassing thing, the nurses will do 20 of them a day, no one cares.
тАЬItтАЩs so quick, itтАЩs nothing to be scared about and they can save your life.тАЭ
An NHS England spokesperson said: тАЬWe recognise that changes to cervical screening can seem worrying but want to reassure everyone that this new approach is based on robust scientific evidence and an expert recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee.
тАЬThe NHS cervical screening programme tests for human papillomavirus (HPV) and uses a better and more accurate test than before.
тАЬThis means if you test negative for HPV, you donтАЩt need to be screened as often as your risk of developing cervical cancer is very low.
тАЬIf you test positive for HPV, weтАЩll monitor you more closely with additional tests and follow-up appointments.
тАЬThis personalised approach ensures everyone receives the right level of screening based on their individual risk factors, providing better protection while reducing unnecessary procedures.тАЭ
The NHS website says anyone worried about symptoms of cervical cancer should see their GP.