A single mother who was diagnosed with cervical cancer after first believing her symptoms were due to the menopause is now urging all women to seek medical advice for any unusual changes.
From Menopause Assumption to Cancer Diagnosis
Michelle Griggs, a 50-year-old social club manager from Folkestone in Kent, began experiencing troubling signs in June 2024. She suffered from unusual vaginal bleeding, aching joints, and severe night sweats. Over the next two months, her symptoms steadily worsened.
After researching her condition online, Ms Griggs became convinced the changes were linked to the menopause. This assumption felt particularly logical as she had attended her regular smear tests and had been given the all-clear just months before.
"I, like everyone else, figured maybe it was menopause because I was about that age," she said. "I really thought it was the menopause, because everything matched what I had read online."
Acting on precaution, she visited her GP. Following several scans at Kent and Canterbury Hospital, she received the shocking news: she had stage one cervical cancer.
"I had a scan, and when I called the next day to see if the results were back they asked me to pop in, so immediately I knew it wasn't going to be good news," Ms Griggs recalled. "It was a total shock because I had been having my smears regularly and I just didn't think of that. I left in disbelief."
Understanding Cervical Cancer and Vital Treatment
Cervical cancer affects the cervix, the opening to the womb. It is almost always caused by a persistent infection with certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common virus spread through sexual contact.
Globally, it ranks as the fourth most common cancer in women, with approximately 660,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths each year. In the UK, about 3,000 women are diagnosed annually, leading to around 850 deaths.
Warning signs women must watch for include:
- Unusual vaginal bleeding (between periods, after sex, or after menopause)
- Pain during sex
- Persistent pelvic or lower back pain
- Unusual vaginal discharge
Early stages often present no symptoms at all, which makes regular screening imperative.
For her treatment, Ms Griggs underwent an intensive course combining chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and brachytherapy—a form of internal radiotherapy. Her regimen included two months of radiotherapy, five days a week, which led to the loss of her hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes.
She credits continuing to work where possible and leaning on a close circle of friends for getting her through the ordeal. "You need something. I think if I just sat indoors all the time it would have just eaten away at me," she said.
A Clear Future and a Vital Message
In September 2025, Ms Griggs received the all-clear, celebrating the milestone with lunch and cocktails. She now has regular check-ups to monitor her health.
"I still get a bit tired sometimes... But apart from that I haven't really had any long-term side effects at the moment," she shared, noting her eyebrows and lashes have grown back.
Now supporting Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, her message to women is unequivocal. She urges them to attend their smear tests—which in the UK are offered every five years to women aged 25 to 64 and now check for high-risk HPV first.
"If you feel any change or see any change go straight to the doctors to get it checked out, even if it is something silly, it is still worth it," she advised.
She also praised the charity Macmillan for their support with travel costs and finances during her treatment, encouraging others: "Don't be ashamed to ask for help."
Her story underscores a crucial health reality: while the HPV vaccine has dramatically reduced rates, making cervical cancer highly preventable, attending screenings and acting on symptoms remain lifesaving actions.
