A young mum was told her cervical cancer symptoms were due to the contraceptive injection she was receiving.
Alexandra Hodson, 26, had been experiencing the key symptoms of the disease including pain during intercourse, bleeding in between periods and after sex .
The mum-of-one visited her local medical practiced, but was informed by a nurse that her symptoms were 'normal' due to the c ontraceptive injection .
Her sister Nicola, 35, said: "Alexandra was diagnosed last year in June with the cancer.
"She hadn't spoken to the family about her symptoms, but she had all the red flags: pain during intercourse, bleeding afterwards and in between periods.
"Alexandra told her nurse that she had all these symptoms, but they said 'that's normal' because of the contraceptive injection she was having.
"She knew this wasn't normal and she felt so guilty after that she didn't question it further."
Nicola said that her younger sister received a letter through the door inviting her for her first smear test which she attended at her local GP.
Alexandra received a letter back that she had abnormal cells and was sent to Blackpool Victoria Hospital for a colposcopy.
She was then told to come back in 12 months because she had precancerous cells, but the hospital felt it wasn't urgent.
The single mum was uncomfortable waiting for another year to be checked, so went back to her GP.
It was here that her doctor felt the tumour and immediately referred her back to the hospital. An MRI scan confirmed that the mum of one did have the devastating disease.
Nicola, told the Liverpool Echo : "Eventually Alexandra saw a female doctor and felt the tumour in the internal exam.
"She examined her and told her there and then, Alexandra was on her own.
"Alexandra phoned our mum, she was in shock."
The former housekeeper began radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the July, one month after diagnosis.
However, after another scan doctors said that Alexandra's tumour looked 'swollen' and wasn't responding to treatment.
It also meant that the chemotherapy and the radiotherapy would have also damaged the young mum's other organs.
Nicola added: "They scanned her and they said the tumour looked 'swollen' on the scan. We all knew what that meant - bigger."
Alexandra, who lives in Kirkham, was then sent to Clatterbridge Cancer Centre on the Wirral to receive another form of treatment called brachytherapy.
However, after only one session Alexandra was sent to London for more specialist treatment.
The family were given a small piece of hope after an MRI scan showed the tumour had shrunk a little. However, during a wait for PET scan, Alexandra received more devastating news that the tumour had started to grow back.
The single mum was then told that she would have to have an operation to remove her bowel, reproductive organs, part of her vagina and have a stoma bag.
The 26-year-old received more bad news that the operation would not go ahead as her tumour was touching her pelvic wall and was too dangerous to operate.
Nicola said: "The doctor told us they weren't going to go through with it.
The scan showed that the tumour was touching the pelvic wall and they couldn't do the operation.
"Every time when you try and keep positive your told more news. We have to go and get on with it.
"Alexandra's gone down to a five stone eight and all her taste buds have gone. She loved garlic. Garlic was the one, but she can't taste it and she used to love garlic bread. They have given her shaker for calories, but she is really struggling.
"The pain is so bad, she can't walk and has to use a wheelchair when it's bad."
Due to Alexandra's tumour not shrinking, the single mum faces extreme pain, which 'radiates' through her bones.
The mum of one's consultant applied for funding and a trial for immunotherapy, which helps the body fight the cancer.
It works by helping the immune system recognise and and attack cancer cells.
However, the funding was denied and the family are now trying to raise funds for private treatment via a GoFundMe page.
Nicola said: "I can't sit back and do nothing. Alex is up and down because she is struggling mentally. We've all struggled, we cope because we have to.
"We all have our own lives whilst trying to what we can for Alex and say we are fine, but we're not fine and we can't crumble. I love my little sister and I'll never give up fighting for her.
"At the minute this will give me a focus and I don't want cancer to be her final story."
The Hodson family believe that the smear test age should be lowered for women for a better chance of catching more cases of cervical cancer.
According to the NHS website almost all cases of cervical cancer is caused by HPV, which is spread during sexual intercourse and other types of sexual activity.
At least 15 types of HPV are considered high-risk for the disease.
Nicola added: "When Alexandra found about how cervical cancer comes about with the HPV, there's a big age from when you can have legal intercourse to when you can have a smear test.
"There's so many stories out there about girls of such and such age who went to their GP, but couldn't get a smear test because their too young. They then have to pay private and get a smear test and find out they have cancer, it's dreadful.
"The age really needs to be lowered."
Regarding Alexandra's diagnosis a spokesperson from Ashtree House surgery in Kirkham said: “While we cannot comment on any individual case, we were saddened to hear of Miss Hodson’s diagnosis and wish her all the very best in her fundraising.
“We are happy to speak with Miss Hodson or her family to assist in any way we can.”
NHS England also said they could not comment individual cases when it comes to funding.
A spokesperson: “We cannot comment on individual cases. Where a treatment is not routinely funded by the NHS, an individual funding request can be made by a patient’s lead clinician.
"Decisions on whether to fund those requests are judgements taken by clinicians based on the evidence submitted by the patient’s clinician.”
