‘‘I wasn’t going to risk my baby’s life, not even for my own life.’’ Abbie Colvin was diagnosed with cervical cancer and told she would never be able to have children after laser treatment and a possible hysterectomy, then something changed… Words by Holly Patterson
Meet Abbie Colvin, 21 years old, a biomedical science student at Manchester Metropolitan University, aspiring doctor and mum of miracle baby Oscar. Abbie, like any other girl in her twenties enjoyed socialising, partying, travelling and wanting to create a career for herself, but couldn’t help the niggling of something else she didn’t anticipate. Two years ago in April, Abbie was diagnosed with cervical cancer. For a year Abbie was being treated for cystitis with antibiotics as she was suffering from heavy bleeding after sex and continuous back pain. “The NHS only undergo smear tests between 25-64 for women, as cervical cancer usually effects women who are sexually active between 30-45, so this wasn’t an option for me.”
was no way I even thought it would be cancer.” Taking the advice from the sexual health clinic she visited her doctor and was then diagnosed with cervical cancer “I just didn’t know what to say or think in that moment.” The doctor had located abnormal cells on her cervix and that laser treatment, as well as the possibility of a hysterectomy could be a possibility. The treatment would would result in her never being able to have children.
Doctors informed Abbie that she would be able to freeze her eggs however, would never be able to get pregnant herself “pregnancy was something that I always dreamed of and something I wanted to experience for myself.” In April Abbie was scheduled to have her laser treatment in hope it would kill all the abnormal cells, when a little bump After a general check up at occurred. Before laser treatment her local sexual health clinic, is performed, you are required where she had a full sexual to take a urine sample and from screening they suggestAbbie’s urine sample was someed something wasn’t right thing nobody expected. She was “They told me I should visit pregnant. “After just being told a doctor due to my sympI would never be able to have toms and after they did the children and then to be told I check up they knew somewas pregnant then, my emotions thing wasn’t right, but there were everywhere but I felt so 1. Women’s Health Univeristy Magazine 2019
grateful in that moment.” The news was certainly a surprise for Abbie’s boyfriend Oakley Buchanan “Mine and Oakley’s relationship was relatively new and certainly was a shock for use both, but a this was something we couldn’t be happier about.” A tough decision made by Abbie was made to refuse chemotherapy until the baby was born. And that’s exactly what she did, baby Oscar Oakley was born, healthy and happy “I can only describe the moment as a blessing and a miracle.” Not long after bringing baby Oscar into the world, she continued with her University studies achieving a first and also completed three stages of chemotherapy within seven months “yes, I suppose I did do well.”
www.womenshealthuniversity. co.uk