After experiencing some unusual vaginal bleeding at age 30, Daniella went to see her local doctor to get it checked out.
Her doctor completed a Pap test (now called the Cervical Screening Test), which came back with abnormal results. When the second test came back abnormal again, Daniella was referred to see a Gynaecologist to have a colposcopy.
Never having heard of a colposcopy before, Daniella said she was worried but that she knew it was an important step she needed to take for her health.
“I knew that something wasn’t right, and it was important to me to have this procedure to find out what was going on, to look after myself and my health,” she said.
Daniella's colposcopy identified a lesion, which was later diagnosed as early-stage cervical cancer. Because her cancer was picked up early through cervical screening and the colposcopy, it was able to be successfully treated. She is now celebrating over 20 years of being cancer-free.
“I'm just grateful that I had the opportunity 23 years ago to be able to have a test that determined that there was a lesion and that I was able to undergo the right procedure to remove it.”
Hear more from Daniella on her colposcopy experience and her advice for others who are referred to the test, in the video above.
To reduce your risk of cervical cancer, a regular Cervical Screening Test can help find HPV which causes almost all cervical cancers before it starts to change.
If you do notice unusual symptoms like Daniella, speak to a health professional. They want to see you to find cancer early.
Read more about colposcopy