EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison has shared her painful journey after being diagnosed with womb cancer.
The 58-year-old actress, who played Heather Trott on Albert Square for 10 years, has revealed that she was diagnosed with womb cancer in 2015.
She'd went in for a smear test which had 'been clear', however, after her test, she began showing symptoms that she said 'weren't normal' for her.
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And now, Cheryl is advising women to also get checked for the illness.
She told The Mirror: “I’d gone for a regular smear test - which had been clear - but I’d started having a lot of backache and then I began spotting blood, which wasn’t normal for me.
"I had been fitted with a coil to help with very heavy periods but somehow I just knew something didn’t feel right."
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After being referred for a biopsy and tests by her GP, Cheryl learned that she had Stage 2 womb cancer.
Upon learning of her diagnosis, the star shared: “I was in absolute shock; stunned to the core. I couldn’t believe the doctor was talking about me.”
Cheryl then underwent a full hysterectomy - which is a medical procedure that removes the womb.
Recalling how the hysterectomy 'impacted her', she said: “I’d had a new beginning with Yass, everything was perfect. And then this.
“All I could think was ‘I have to get this thing out of me’ but it was very difficult. It impacted how I felt as a woman.
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“I’d not long married Yassine [her husband] and suddenly any thought of having a child together had been taken away.
"We may not have gone down that route, of course, but we’d lost the ability to choose.
"It brought on early menopause too; in terms of how I saw myself as a woman, it felt as if it had all come to an end. It was a horrendous time.”
She also said that she'd received support from many of her Eastenders co-stars, including the late Barbara Windsor.
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"Their support meant the world to me." she said.
Last year, Cheryl was given the all-clear, however, after further backache, she was worried that the cancer had returned, saying: “They looked into it.
"They had trouble getting hold of my notes but, when they did and they looked at them, it turned out the initial treatment had got all the cancer."
The actor revealed that now felt like 'right time' to talk about her story, adding: "I’m hoping my story might empower other women.
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“I’ve been through a lot but I’m still here. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Advising women to 'listen to your body', she said: "Even if it’s the smallest concern - go and get checked because if you haven't got health, you've not got no wealth.
“I’ve come through it and so can others. It’s all about living life now. I’m ready to fly.”
According to Cancer Research UK, around 75 percent will survive their cancer for 5 years or more - and more than 70 percent will survive their cancer for 10 years or more.
The NHS UK website states that the main symptoms of womb cancer are:
- Bleeding or spotting from the vagina after the menopause
- Heavy periods from your vagina that is unusual for you
- Vaginal bleeding between your periods
- A change to your vaginal discharge
The other signs to look out for also include:
- A lump or swelling in your tummy or between your hip bones (pelvis)
- Pain in your lower back or between your hip bones (pelvis)
- Pain during sex
- Blood in your urine
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/cherylfergison1/BBCTopics: Health, Eastenders