Carly Brown from Devizes in Wiltshire was just 32 when doctors discovered she had cervical cancer – a diagnosis that came through routine screening.
The mother-of-two, now 35, had noticed her periods were becoming heavier and changing, but she brushed off her symptoms as harmless, putting the changes down to getting older and having children.
"I kept putting off having a cervical screening test. I just didn't want to know, and I kept telling myself I was too young to get this type of cancer," Brown said.
But she finally booked an appointment through her GP, which led to a referral to the Royal United Hospital in Bath for additional tests and a biopsy.
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Carly had noticed her periods becoming heavier
|BATH RUH
"When I received the call from the RUH with the news that it was cancer, I just burst into tears. I just didn't know what I was going to do," she said.
Carly subsequently underwent five weeks of chemotherapy followed by another five weeks of radiotherapy.
But despite describing the treatment as exhausting, she couldn't praise the hospital staff enough.
"I can't fault the RUH, the care, support and compassion I was shown was fantastic the whole way through," she said.
Eventually, Carly received news that she was cancer-free - a moment she says was overwhelming.
"Being told I was cancer-free was amazing, unbelievable. I just can't describe how wonderful it was to get that news," she recalled.
She now returns to the RUH every three months for check-ups and is making it her mission to encourage other women not to make the same mistake she nearly did.
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"I feel very fortunate that things worked out so well for me. If I'd continued to put off having a screening, it could have been very different," she said.
"If there's one thing I've learnt, it's that you can't get time back, make time to attend those appointments."
Her message comes at a crucial time, as roughly one in three women who are eligible for cervical screening don't attend their appointments.
Smear tests are offered to women aged 25 to 64, and Carly hopes her story will convince others not to delay.
| GETTY
"I hope my experience will show women the importance of going to those appointments and not ignoring symptoms. Early detection really could save your life," she said.
Cancer Research UK reports that around 3,300 new cervical cancer cases are diagnosed annually in the UK.
Warning signs include unusual vaginal bleeding, changes to discharge, pain during sex, and discomfort in the lower back or pelvis.