Cervical cancer awareness or A storyline too close to home?

I'm talking about the Eastenders story line. 

Last night when Tanya ripped up the letter, it made me cross. Since then, every time I have thought about it, I start to feel all the emotions of when I went through it. I'll never forget the day I came home from holiday, straight after New Year, to see those words, 'severe changes to cells' otherwise known as Severe Dyskariosis, or CIN 3. I'll never forget the fear I felt, and how quickly the big C word popped into my head. I'm not sure how I would have felt had I not had my husband to stand by me and support me. If I'd been alone, would I have reacted how she did? Now I know that Tanya is just a character in a soap, and not a real person, but the storyline is very real and hundreds of women go through this every week, possibly every day. 

Even watching it tonight, I was feeling emotional, seeing Tanya call the clinic and book that appointment. It's something I hope I never have to do again. Although the procedure wasn't as painful and horrific as it sounds, the emotional stress related to it was great. At the time, I was in a job where I was unhappy, with a boss who was more concerned about me not being able to return to work after than whether I was actually alright! Luckily, I had my supportive, although equally scared husband, some fantastic friends, some who had been through the same experience, and an amazing gynae-oncologist, and colposcopy nursing team. I'm not sure I would have got through it so easily without that nurse holding my hand and wiping my tears, or the gynae-oncologist who talked to me about Toy Story 3 during the whole procedure. At one point he even made me laugh!

I was one of the lucky ones. I got the all clear less than six months later, and although I need to now have smear tests every six months, they see no reason for the abnormalities to return. Still, it will not stop me from worrying every time I have one from now on. For Tanya, it's not going to be such a happy story as hers is going to be the big C word. For me, watching this storyline unfold is going to continue to be emotional, especially if they show her going to the clinic later this week.

I really hope that Eastenders airing this storyline will raise the awareness of cervical cancer, and will encourage many women to have regular smear tests.