I wish I’d listened

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Zoomed in

Can you guess what object we’ve zoomed in on? We’ll give you a hint, extremely bouncy .

Why was Zoe Sargent, 31, from East Yorkshire, suddenly feeling so run down?

I noticed blood in my knickers C ollecting a tower of beer glasses, I faked a smile at my regular pub customers as a pang of pain hit my stomach. It was the week before Christmas 2018.

In the middle of my third 13-hour shift in a row, I was exhausted. ‘I’ll be with you in a minute,’ I yelled to a punter as I poured pint after pint.

Usually, despite the crazy chaos, I loved the festivities.

The twinkly lights that lined the bar, the smell of turkey dinners served to Christmas parties.

Only this year, I had felt unwell for weeks.

In October, I noticed blood in my knickers and I had lost a bit of weight, too.

Then, in December, the stomach cramps hit me hard.

It’s just women’s problems , I tried to convince myself.

But my fiancé James, then 39, was worried. ‘Book a doctor’s appointment,’ he urged. The GP booked me in for a scan in January to check for cysts.

I’m just shattered from all these shifts , I reasoned with myself. It was fatigue and stress. By the time I tucked into my pigs in blankets on Christmas Day, I was dosing up with paracetamol as often as I could to relieve the pain.

After a few more shifts at work, James and I were planning to spend the first Saturday of 2019 together.

Only, instead of a lie in, I woke up with

earing cramps and heavy leeding.

I was yet to et my test esults back.

We had no dea what it was. ‘I’m calling n ambulance,’ mes said.

He held my and as I was I thought I was far too young

EAL LIFE

A long road to recovery

rushed to Hull Royal Infirmary. I was taken for an emergency MRI scan and kept in for tests. I waited apprehensively. And a week later, the hospital had some news to break to me.

‘Zoe...You have stage three cervical cancer,’ the nurse explained me. I stared at her. My life had just anged forever in a atter of seconds.

Aren’t I too young to t cervical cancer? I ought, confused. Working away a lot a dancer in my 20s, never made it to a ear test.

didn’t think smear ts mattered for someone so young. But as doctors outlined my treatment plan, I regretted not having been tested.

‘We can beat this together,’ James assured me.

But I was petrified. I’ve got to survive this , I thought. On Valentine’s Day 2019, I My body was crying out for help

If only I’d gone to my smear test tarted 25 rounds of radiotherapy. Six rounds of chemo and

ree of internal diotherapy owed.

n I needed my kidneys failed. Too sick to leave the hospital, I had 12 blood transfusions to keep me alive.

The amazing staff in Ward 30 helped me so much.

Despite everything I was going through, they made me feel as could be.

They became like family.

Finally, in March, my treatment finished and I could come home again.

My mum Carol, 59, moved in to help me.

And James did all he could.

But it took months before I felt anything like my old self.

Then, in July, I finally got the news I’d been waiting for.

‘Your latest scan shows no sign of cancer,’ the consultant smiled to me.

Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks.

‘You did it!’ James grinned. In October, I started work at the pub again.

But I’m taking it easy now. My life changed forever when I was diagnosed with cancer, and it’s hard to adjust back to normal. Looking back, I wish I’d had my routine smear tests at 25.

It wasn’t that I was scared, I just didn’t realise the importance. Now, I shout it from the rooftops.

And I wish I’d listened to my body crying for help. Those stomach pains weren’t festive burnout, they were a warning sign for something much bigger. Listen to your body. It might just save your life. Have you checked? We battled it together

The best way to protect yourself from cervical cancer is by attending a smear test.

The NHS invites all women (aged 25-64) to be tested.

Women aged 25-49 are offered screening every three years, and those aged 50-64 are offered screening every five years.

You should be sent a letter in the post. Contact a GP if you think you may be overdue.

TRAV

Pitch

Stay-cations’ are all the rage at the momen rits holiday. It’s affordable, fun and is great for all the mily. S our tra guide to being a pro camper, no matter your exper nce.

WHAT YOU NEED: C amping isn’t like any other holiday. If you’re heading on a summer holiday to Spain, the most important thing you need to remember is your passport. When camping, there are many other things to consider. One missing tent peg and everything can go wrong. So, below is our checklist of everything you need to remember when camping!

THE NECESSITIES

with all the fixings.  Sleeping bag  Sleeping pad  Pillows Headlamp or flashlight  Camp chairs  Lantern for cooking food

For food:

Stove an fuel  Cooler atches/lig Firestarter Cooking pots  Utensils Bottle opener  Tupperware  Ice packs

Tools and repairs:

 Multi-tool  Duct tape Tent-pole repair sleeve Pad/mattress repair kit  Mallet or hammer  Batteries tra cord

E TO GO

er where you want to go, there ill be a large variety of campsites ailable to you. Depending on who you are camping with, the main things you want to look out for are whether they are ‘child friendly’, if dogs are allowed and what facilities are available.

Look around and browse your options, but we strongly recommend booking a slot. As spring eases in, many families will be keen to get away and campsites may be busier than usual – so just turning up may not be plausible.

You may also want to check where your nearest shop is, as it’s highly likely that you’ll forget something! This way, you know you’ll never be without!

O NO’S

Unfortunately, camping in the UK isn’t quite as easy as pitching up on a field and lighting a fire. In fact, there are many rules and regulations that you have to remember.

For starters, wild camping is illegal, and you risk trespassing on private land. Always make sure that you are settled in a designated and licensed campsite.

Once you’re there, you also need to make sure that you dispose of any waste correctly.

Whether it’s food or toxins (bodily fluids), you should always use designated waste bins. Most campsites will have public toilets, but if they don’t, there will be a waste bin to dispose of your fluids. Leaving them on the side of the road or on the ground is a criminal offence

WHAT TENT IS RIGHT FOR YOU? C hoosing the correct tent is a fundamental part to any camping holiday. And you need to be honest with yourself. Are you the type to put up a five-person tent from scratch or will you need one that you can just throw to the ground and it opens for you?

There’s no shame in admitting that you may be latter, but if you’re travelling with a l f il hen it may not be option for you. re are many gs to take into nsideration when uying a tent, and he best way to find

ut what you need is y going through a uide. Most outdoor r camping stores ll do this and recommend Go oors! ooutdoors.co.uk WHAT SLEEPIN BAG TO GET: T he right sleeping bag can make all the difference to a make or break camping holiday. You need to make s you get the right one for where you are going.

There are currently two main types of sleeping bag – down or synthetic. Both have positive and negative sides, but you need to decide which is better for you.

Down sleeping bags are typically made from duck feathers and hold more insulation, whereas synthetic is man-made stuffing, which is cheaper and easier to use. Whichever you prefer, it needs to provide warmth and comfort.

The next thing you need to consider is shape, size and additional features. Find which one will get you the most for your money whilst providing a top-quality sleep. Mountain Warehouse has a great guide on choosing the best one! www.mountainwarehouse.com ug, THE FUN STUFF Refreezable ice packs, £8, Oliver Bonas The right fit Be realistic

Valiant nomad folding portable charcoal barbecue, £49.99, Ludlowstoves.co.uk Tulip bloom portable USB charger,

£9.95, Rex London

Travel NEWS

TRAVEL FE T ravel fear is a rea thing and with the holiday season just around the corner, many of us will start to wonder where it is safest to go. And although the destination is top of our safety prioritie Taxi2Airport.com has revealed our other travel fears. Unsurprisingly, safety at our accommodation is also at the top of our concerns, followed by lost luggage and losing important documents. Terrorism, natural disasters and sexual harassment are also our top concerns. For the full report, visit: www.taxi2airport.com/eu Real fears

SAVE AND GO W ant to go on holiday, but worried you can’t afford it? Well, the Chip app is your answer. It will automatically put money aside for you, so you can save up without thinking about it. It will allow you to build your travel fund so you can go to top destinations such as New York, Florida, Australia or even Japan. The app even tells you how long it will take to save for these destinations. For example, according to the app, it will take you 419 days to save for New York! Download the app now and start saving for your dream getaway! www.getchip.uk

FAKE-CAT A ccording to C Med, four in t have lied about wh they’ve been in the Almost half of us h relayed tales of Eu city breaks and long-haul adventures, with 41% admitting they have fibbed about trips to countries they have never even visited! Have you ever lied to appear more travel cool? White lies