Mum given months to live after GP left her a voicemail on broken phone – and never called back

A MUM has been given months to live – after a GP left her a voicemail on a broken phone and she missed the message.

Three months later Rachel Kennedy discovered she had stage three cervical cancer.

The mum, 33, didn't have her symptoms investigated until five months after experiencing abnormal bleeding.

She had gone to her GP in June 2020 and had a phone consultation, before getting tests two months on.

Days later her doctor left a message asking for the mum to come in for an examination, but Rachel never got the voicemail.

Her doctor didn't call back despite having some concerns for her health.

In October, after suffering more bleeding, she had an examination and was referred for a biopsy, before being told she had cancer.

Her dad, Robert MacIntyre, thinks if she had been seen earlier the cancer would be more manageable.

The 58-year-old told the Daily Record: "We as a family feel severely let down by the system. We're really disappointed.

"The GP practice have admitted that there is a loophole in the system and have assured us that this will be changed in future.

What are the early signs to look out for?

1. Abnormal bleeding (during or after sex, between periods and also post-menopause)period 

The most common and earliest sign of cervical cancer tends to be irregular bleeding.

It happens when the cancer cells grow on the tissue below the cervix.

It's an especially alarming sign in postmenopausal women who no longer have periods. There's no age limit to developing cervical cancer.

2. Unusual vaginal discharge

Everyone's discharge is different, so it's a case of knowing what is normal for you.

If you find that the colour, smell and consistency has changed, then that's something you really need to have checked out.

When cancer lacks oxygen, it can cause an infection which leads to strange smelling discharge.

3. Discomfort or pain during sex

Pain during sex can be a sign of a number of different issues, but one is cervical cancer.

Because the disease often comes with no symptoms, pain during intercourse is one of the key indicators. It can be a sign that the cancer is spreading to surrounding tissues.

4. Lower back pain

It could be down to you straining something in the gym, or it could be a warning sign that something's wrong with your reproductive organs.

Persistent pain – just one off twinges – in the lower back, pelvis or appendix can be a symptom of cervical cancer.

5. Unintended weight loss

While effortless weight loss might sound like the answer to many of our prayers, it's never a good sign if it happens seemingly without cause.

A loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss tend to be signs that the body isn't working properly – it's trying to conserve energy. If you notice that you're not eating as you normally do, go to your GP.

"Unfortunately this does not help our situation. We feel that due to this delay they are responsible for some of the deterioration in Rachel’s condition."

She had treatment in January but the following month it was found the "aggressive" cancer had spread to both her lungs.

Rachel, a senior test analyst at Tesco Bank, has now tragically been given just months to live.

Her dad said: “The NHS failed her. Rachel was told she had an aggressive cancer in November and she never started any treatment until January.

“A young mum of 32 at the time – it’s just not good enough.

“At every turn Rachel has had to push for someone to listen to her, and for answers and she’s exhausted. She’s lost faith in the NHS."

Rachel’s oncologist submitted an application for her to receive immunotherapy through the NHS, after the latest tragic diagnosis.

But the family were heartbroken when it was rejected on the grounds that there was not enough clinical evidence.

To try and give Rachel as much time as possible while a cure is searched for, they have launched a fundraising effort to get treatment privately.

They wrote: "Rachel tells us that although she has some aches and pains she still has ‘plenty more to give’ and ‘wants to do everything she can to spend some more time with her two little boys’."

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