Her first pap smear saved this young mother’s life

At 37, Amaliah’s life was saved by her first-ever pap smear.

It was a journey that started unassumingly. In 2019, her cousin had passed away from breast cancer but not before urging Amaliah to get screened.

So she chanced upon SCS’s screening services and scheduled an appointment. The pap smear was quick and fuss-free and Amaliah left the clinic without concerns. After all, she was in her 30s, still young.

However, Amaliah would quickly learn that cancer does not discriminate against age.

The results of her pap smear came back abnormal. After further tests, the mother of two was diagnosed with Stage 1A2 cervical cancer.

Coming to Terms

The diagnosis blindsided Amaliah who had led a healthy lifestyle before this.

The next blow came when the doctor recommended a hysterectomy, a procedure that removes the womb. Amaliah would not be able to have more children, a permanent consequence that weighed heavily on her.

“I [was] still very young and I love children,” she says, of her conflicted feelings at the time. However, she gradually accepted this reality as her doctor advised it as the best way forward.

Early Screening Saved Her Life

There was one silver lining to it all. As the cancer had been diagnosed at a relatively early stage, Amaliah was spared from chemotherapy and radiotherapy. There was one silver lining to it all. As the cancer had been diagnosed at a relatively early stage, Amaliah was spared from chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The odds of survival are also higher when cancer is detected early. Following her surgery, Amaliah was deemed 99 per cent cleared of cervical cancer. From doing her first pap smear at 37 Amaliah now goes for regular screenings, which is recommended for women aged 25 onward.

Determined to help other women, she has shared her survivor journey with radio station Warna 94.2FM and online women’s platform Zula.

In so doing, she is paying forward the life-changing advice her cousin gave her: Get screened. Do it early. Contrary to expectations, screening is neither uncomfortable nor painful, she urges.

“Cancer is not a death sentence. If you detect it and go for treatment early, you can have a normal life.”