A brave young Irish woman has shared her cancer story for a great reason.
Heather Keating, from Cashel Co. Tipperary, was diagnosed with cervical cancer at just 24, one year before she was entitled to her free smear test.
She noted that "because I was 24 I was not entitled to a free smear and the early cell changes in my cervix were not picked up."
Luckily for Heather, she pushed the issue when she felt something wasn't right and her cancer was found before it spread from her cervix.
She had surgery to remove the cancerous mass and is now happily cancer free.
In a Facebook post that has been shared more than 3,000 times, Heather aims to highlight the symptoms which can easily be missed, particularly by those too young to qualify for a smear.
She writes:
"I want to share my story so that there is more awareness around cervix cancer.
"If you're over 25 please go for your smear tests. Make time for it! They are so important. I wish I had the opportunity to have caught the cell changes before it became cancerous.
"If you are under 25 and feel something is not right please go and get it check out with your GP.
"The symptoms are:
Abnormal bleeding
- heavy or longer periods
- between periods
- after sex
- after menopause
Foul smelling discharge
Pain or discomfort in the pelvis or during sex
"The more this is shared the more awareness it will create and hopefully more people will have caught it in time or before it even begins!"
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