Nicola’s story

Referrals to cancer services were drastically reduced during lockdown as many patients decided to put off seeking help for health concerns until the pandemic was over.
One Northallerton mother of three, is determined to do all she can, to raise awareness of the need to get checked out sooner rather than later, despite facing crippling anxiety issues which limit her social interactions.
Nicola Gatenby described her cancer journey as ‘a bit of a whirlwind’ as she was diagnosed and treated for cervical cancer, and is now in recovery, all within a matter of weeks.
Although still coming to terms with the speed of her cancer journey, which has left her ‘shell shocked’, she says she wants to make other people aware of the need to contact their GP, no matter what is happening with COVIS-19..
Nicola’s story started about one year ago, when she felt an unusual hardening of her cervix. The timing was poor, her youngest daughter had just had a rare eye cancer scare and the family were struggling to come to terms with treatment offered at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
No sooner had they been given the all clear, Nicola’s middle daughter gave birth three months prematurely. Nicola said “ I put my own health worries to the back of my mind, and thought I would deal with them later.”
By late May this year, Nicola knew her condition was getting worse. She felt quite unwell and knew she would have to do something about it. She wasn’t sure if anything would be available during lockdown, and worried that only emergencies would be dealt with. Added to this, she suffers from severe anxiety issues which has kept her housebound for around two years.
It took five attempts for Nicola to pluck up the courage to talk to her doctors. They arranged to see her the same day and a friend drove her there.
“I was worried about going into the doctor’s. They handled it really well. The waiting room was empty, and the women’s health nurse was waiting for me there in full protective clothing,” she explained.
Nicola was examined and referred to The Friarage, her local hospital, for a biopsy. At that point, the consultant wasn’t sure if they were dealing with Stage 1 or 2 cervical cancer. She was then referred to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, where in late July, they carried out an exploratory operation and radical hysterectomy all in one go, aware that Nicola’s anxiety issues would complicate return visits.
“I can’t fault the way they dealt with me,” added Nicola. “They were aware of my difficulty in leaving the house and of my anxiety issues. They allowed my daughter to accompany me to appointments and my GP helped make sure my medication kept me as stable as possible.”
Nicola was hospitalised for eight days, after various complications meant her bowels shut down. Now she is being cared for at her parents’ home and she awaits results from various tests.
Nicola’s message to anyone who spots some unusual changes to their body is to get it checked out ”Don’t leave it like I did. No matter what is happening, tell your doctor if you have concerns.”