I sent the letter below to my women friends in November 2022, shortly after I’d had a total abdominal hysterectomy for endometrial cancer. It was an alert, a communication to spread the word about how to look out for symptoms.
There are many people trying to raise awareness about early cancer symptoms for lots of different cancers and this is no different. I’m putting this communication on my blog in the hope it will reach a wider audience than my letter did.
This is the original letter:
Many, but not all of you, know that I have just had a hysterectomy for endometrial cancer. It was early stage and I hope the surgery has been a cure. I’m sending this message now, not to seek sympathy, but to raise awareness of how to spot the condition.
In my case, I waited too long before seeing a doctor. I was lucky in that the cancer had not spread outside the uterus but this could easily not have been the case. I lost a small amount of blood, about a teaspoonful, once only and that made me contact my GP. However, for several months before that, I’d had a slightly pink-stained vaginal discharge now and then. I felt completely well and the discharge was so slight, I didn’t do anything. My message to you all is this: if you experience anything like this, contact your doctor straight away. Don’t wait until you start losing blood. It may not be cancer but it’s best to check. The medical world takes any post-menopausal vaginal bleeding seriously. We’ve all heard the recent reports of delays in cancer treatment so the sooner you get into the system the better.
Please spread the word to your female friends and relations. If they are not post-menopausal yet, they will be one day. If this helps just one person, I’ve achieved my aim.
The histology after my operation showed the cancer was somewhat more advanced that had been previously thought. I therefore had a short course of radiotherapy (brachytherapy) in January, 2023. I regard it as a ‘belt and braces’ approach but earlier diagnosis would have avoided this. I shall be followed up for around five years, feel well and believe the surgery was a cure. I’m one of the lucky ones.
Please spread this information to as many women as possible, especially if they are post-menopausal.
Thank you.
linimeant 