Updated August 30th, 2021

Doctors Dismissed Woman’s Symptoms 52 Times Before Being Diagnosed With Advanced Cervical Cancer: Don’t Be Afraid To Be Your Own Advocate

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A Woman's Push For Answers

Cervical cancer survivor Laura Hydnes, 36, believed her cancer had returned when she started experiencing severe back pain suddenly. She pushed for her doctors to run tests and examine her, but was dismissed 52 times for over a year. Once finally running tests, she was told her cancer had returned and progressed to the point it was incurable.
Pap smears are especially effective at detecting cervical cancer early, but cervical cancer is unique in that it's usually preventable with the HPV vaccine. Over 70% of cervical cancers are caused by the sexually-transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV).
One of the most important things that every individual should know, especially women, is that when it comes to taking control and prioritizing your health, being your own advocate can be a life-saving decision.

Laura Hyndes, 36, knew something was wrong with her body when she started experiencing severe back pain, but it took over a year for her doctors to take her seriously. She was brushed off 52 times before doctors realized that her cervical cancer had returned after five years, and was declared incurable.

Hydnes was first diagnosed with cervical cancer when she was just 29-years-old during a routine pap smear. The disease was caught in the early stages and she was declared in remission after going through treatment. She had reached 5 years of being cancer-free when she started experiencing persistent and severe back pain, and feared her cancer had returned. She visited her doctors to get checked out, but according to Hydnes, was brushed off 52 times despite being a cancer survivor.

“Nobody would listen to me. I kept telling them I'd had cancer before. But the answer always was, 'You're young, it won't have come back,'” Hydnes said. “You know your body and I just knew something was really wrong. I was in too much pain.”

Once deciding to be her own advocate and demanding more tests be run when she started experiencing new symptoms, doctors discovered a tumor the “size of a mango” which indicated the cancer had not only returned, but advanced. In order to eliminate all signs of the cancer, Hydnes needed to go through chemotherapy, radiation, and a surgery which removed organs including her bladder, bowel, and vagina. However, the prognosis wasn’t what Hydnes or her doctors were hoping for, and she continues to fight despite being given one more year to live. Her family has created a GoFundMe to help Hydnes throughout treatment and support her family during this ordeal.

Ovarian cancer survivor Lisa Mitchell on why she encourages women to speak up about their health

Cervical Cancer: The Breakdown

Cervical cancer is a type of gynecologic cancer that is typically detected through a routine pap smear test. During a Pap smear, your doctor will collect a sample of cells from your cervix (using a small brush or spatula). The cells are then examined under a microscope for abnormalities, including cancer and changes that could indicate pre-cancer.

Pap smears are especially effective at detecting cervical cancer early, but cervical cancer is unique in that it's usually preventable with the HPV vaccine. Over 70% of cervical cancers are caused by the sexually-transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV). Other cancers are also linked to the virus, such as throat cancer, but luckily, the vaccine can help prevent 90% of those cancers from being diagnosed. Typically, the vaccine will be given to children before they are sexually active, because HPV is transmitted through sexual contact.

Ex-NYPD cop and cervical cancer survivor, Patti Murillo Casa, advocates for other women to be tested

Women & Dismissed Symptoms

One of the most important things that every individual should know is that when it comes to taking control and prioritizing your health, being your own advocate can be a life-saving decision.

April Knowles was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at 39-years-old. During a routine visit to her gynecologist, they found a lump in her breast but initially dismissed it and blamed it on her period. However, the lump remained, and Knowles pushed to go through a PET scan and biopsy. Turns out, it was the best decision she could have made, because the tests revealed that she had breast cancer in her spine and hip. This experience taught her the importance of speaking up for yourself and always pushing for answers if you feel like something is wrong.

"I think women, especially young women, are really used to being dismissed by their doctors," Knowles previously told SurvivorNet. "Or 'you're too young for this,' or 'here's some Prozac, go home and cook dinner for your children.' I think a lot of patients don't want to hurt their doctor's feelings either. We really do want our doctors to like us. But you have to take charge. You have to learn about your disease. You have to ask questions."

April Knowles shares her experience about her doctor dismissing her breast cancer symptoms

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