I started wetting myself at 33 and went through three pads a day – months later I was told it was cancer

ANNA Wakefield, 43, a well being and security officer, lives in Norwich. 

“Waking up in my tent, I realised my pyjamas felt damp – I’d moist myself in the course of the night time.

Anna Wakefield was recognized with cervical most cancers in January 2013 at age 33

After being despatched for a scan docs discovered Anna had a 7cm tumour on her cervix that had been urgent on her bladder

I used to be doing an 84-mile charity stroll alongside Hadrian’s Wall with three mates, however fortunately we had been all sleeping in our personal tents.

I reasoned that I’d been so exhausted, I hadn’t woken to go to the bathroom.

Nonetheless, after I bought house after the five-day problem in Might 2012, I made a health care provider’s appointment and was referred to a urologist. 

I used to be recognized with involuntary incontinence, but it surely didn’t make sense to me – I used to be 33, single with no youngsters, so I had no purpose to have a weakened pelvic ground. 

Over the following 9 months, my signs grew worse.

At work as a well being and security officer for an insurance coverage firm, I’d get by way of three of the thickest incontinence pads a day, till I finally began leaking by way of the pads and my garments.

It might occur continually, however notably if I sneezed or made sudden actions.

Fortunately, no one seen besides my mum Eileen, 71, who as soon as requested if I’d sat in one thing moist on the pub.

Whereas it didn’t have an effect on my self-confidence, as I managed to cover it, I used to be continually anxious as I used to be certain one thing was flawed.

However I felt like I needed to belief the docs. It wasn’t till my smear check in January 2013 that the nurse revealed she might see nodules on my cervix.

I wasn’t too nervous as I’d had irregular outcomes yearly since my first smear at 22, however they by no means amounted to something. Nonetheless this time, I used to be known as into my GP every week later and I listened in horror as my physician mentioned I had most cancers.

I used to be despatched for a scan, which confirmed I had a 7cm tumour on my cervix that had been urgent on my bladder, inflicting the leakage. Later exams confirmed the most cancers had now unfold to my lymph nodes.

It felt like the ground disappeared from beneath my ft. The physician reassured me that it was stage 1 most cancers and I had an 80-85% probability of a five-year survival if it was handled with a six-week course of chemotherapy, radiation and focused inside radiotherapy known as brachytherapy. 

After I bought house, I broke the information to my dad Stuart, 70. He was speechless, and simply uttered my nickname ‘Oh, Treasure’ as he grabbed me and hugged me.

I then known as my sisters Helen, 45, and Laura, 40, earlier than telling my mum Eileen when she returned from purchasing. She went straight into sensible mode and mentioned: ‘Proper, let’s get this sorted.’ 

Anna's mum Helen supported her by way of her remedy, reassuring her: ‘We're going to get by way of this'

Two months later, I began chemo. It made me really feel so sick I couldn’t eat and I might solely get round in a wheelchair.

However the tumour shrunk, which fortunately stopped the incontinence. After the remedy completed, I returned to work and began residing my life once more.

However after I went for my six-month scan in June 2014 the oncologist broke the information that the most cancers had unfold to my lungs, and was now stage 4, that means I had only a 5% probability of survival.

This time Mum was a whirlwind of grit and willpower. ‘We're going to get by way of this,’ she vowed, squeezing me tight. The primary time I had remedy I don’t bear in mind any laughter.

However as I underwent 5 months of chemotherapy, I used to be laughing about foolish issues, like what number of instances I needed to go to the john.

My hair had fallen out and my face was puffy from the steroids, however my mum’s phrases had hit house and I used to be decided to be optimistic. At my scan six months later, the physician informed me the most cancers had gone and I used to be in remission.

It’s now over two years since I bought the five-year all-clear in November 2019. I’ve bought a brand new job as a well being and security advisor at a school and have given my physique an overhaul, working with a private coach to lose virtually 6st, going from 16st 4lb to 10st 7lb, so I will be in my greatest form to tackle something.

With the tumour gone, I not moist myself, however I've relationship anxiousness. The toughest factor to course of is that my remedy has left me infertile.

However I remind myself it was a matter of life or dying. And I consolation myself with the truth that my nieces more than likely won't ever must undergo what I've, because of the extremely efficient HPV vaccine women are actually supplied.” 

Anna, who works as a well being and security officer, pictured earlier than her analysis

Since getting the all-clear Anna has workied with a private coach to lose virtually 6st

It's now over two years since Anna bought the five-year all-clear in November 2019