Overview

• Jasmin McKee, 26, delayed her smear test until March 2024 after attributing her symptoms to a new coil and fearing online horror stories.
• She was diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer five weeks later and underwent surgery and radiotherapy before starting chemotherapy in April 2025.
• McKee is receiving eight rounds of chemotherapy every three weeks and is expected to complete treatment in September 2025.
• NHS England will extend HPV-negative screening intervals for women aged 25–49 from three to five years starting in July 2025, citing UK National Screening Committee recommendations and King’s College London analysis.
• McKee cautions that five-year gaps could allow early cancers to advance undetected and urges women not to delay their screenings.