Published: Saturday, 30th August, 2008 12:30pm

Cancer mum: Baby saved my life

by Claire Amber Young

IN 1992, Yvonne Gatens gave birth to her first, and only, child - a beautiful baby girl called Nicole.

Mum and baby had a lovely two months together and Yvonne went along happily to her eight-week appointment.

But, as Yvonne went through the usual post-natal checks, the nurse on duty noticed a problem and sent her to Stobhill Hospital for a coloscopy.

It was when the results came back that Yvonne"s nightmare began.

Yvonne, now 39, said: 'They put me in a wee room on my own and kept asking if I"d brought anyone with me.

'When the nurse went out of the room, I caught sight of my file - and it had the word "urgent" scrawled across the front of it.

'It was then I started to panic. Cancer didn"t cross my mind but I knew there was something wrong.'

Doctors told Yvonne she was in the advanced stages of cervical cancer. She learned she would have to have a radical hysterectomy and part of her cervix would have to be taken away.

She was also warned she could end up with a colostomy bag and her body would become weakened by the course of radiotherapy that would be administered.

Yvonne was told her pregnancy could have brought the cancer to the fore - and it may not have been detected any other way.

She said: 'I had no symptoms, nothing. It was such a shock. I just focused on Nicole. I knew I had to be a mum to my wee girl.

'I kept saying "I"ve got a beautiful new baby daughter. I need to get through this".'

Yvonne was told the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) had been lying dormant. Despite regular smear tests since the age of 18, Yvonne had fallen victim to this terrible disease.

She said: 'If I hadn"t been pregnant, I probably wouldn"t have known there was anything wrong. If it had gone unnoticed, God knows what could have happened.

'She could have helped save my life. I"m so thankful I became pregnant. Having Nicole got me through it in so many different ways.'

Yvonne"s family - mum Fiona, dad Duncan and brother Ronnie - were devasted when they heard the news.

She said: 'My mum completely fell apart. When I told her, she burst into floods of tears. I just went through the whole thing in total shock.

'I think my age really helped. I have a positive attitude to life in general and I just said to myself "you have to get on with it".'

Yvonne was in hospital for 10 days. Her family looked after baby Nicole and supported her throughout her ordeal.

The young mum was recovering well but was devastated she couldn"t hold her baby daughter properly until two months after her operation.

She said: 'It was awful not being able to hold her. I could cuddle her but couldn"t hold her properly. I was so relieved when I could hold her. It was lovely.'

After her operation, Yvonne was pleased to find out she didn"t have to go for chemotherapy - but was very ill throughout her 20 sessions of radiotherapy.

She said: 'After the operation, I had a urine bag and two bags of blood attached to me - it was horrible.

'Doctors told me they had to remove more of my cervix than they thought, as they found further activity. The radiotherapy was awful. I felt really sick through it all.'

Yvonne"s devoted family did her proud throughout the operation - and after it too. They whisked Yvonne off to Tenerife as soon as her radiotherapy was over.

She felt no pain as soon as she stepped on the plane - and was so glad to get away.

Throughout the operation, surgeons were able to keep Yvonne"s ovaries - but this caused even more problems for the young mum.

She said: 'Two years after the operation, I had an early menopause. I started to get the hot flushes and panic attacks - everything. That was when it hit me - I couldn"t have any more children.

'Just before the menopause hit, I started to get really broody - but I kept reminding myself I had Nicole.'

Aside from her beautiful baby daughter, another amazing thing ocurred after Yvonne"s illness.

Her first love, Frank, got back in touch after finding out she had been ill.

Yvonne couldn"t believe it when her first serious boyfriend ended up part of her life again.

She said: 'I"d never quite got over him. It was wonderful to hear from him again. Nicole was one when he got back in touch.

'He was aware of the fact that I couldn"t have any more children - but it didn"t matter to him.'

The couple married in 1995, just two years before Yvonne was given the all clear.

Yvonne, who works in a newsagents in Wemyss Bay, is in good health, but has been left with lymphoedema in her leg - a swelling that develops as a result of an impaired lymphatic system.

Her cancer ordeal has made her feelings towards the new Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) immunisation programme very strong - and she knows that getting the vaccine is a good option.

Yvonne said: 'I"ve been reading and watching lots about cervical cancer since my operation. When I read about the HPV vaccine for young girls, I knew it was a fantastic idea.

'We"ve got no option but to tell teenangers about the virus and to help protect them against it. It could be too late if you don"t get a smear test until the age of 25.

'Girls really have to go for smear tests. There"s a bit of a stigma attached to them but they"re not sore at all. Although nothing was picked up in mine, I still don"t regret going along.'

Yvonne is adamant Nicole, a pupil at Greenock Academy, should have the jabs to help protect her against two strains of the virus.

Nicole said: 'I think that the jabs are a great thing for girls. I don"t like needles but I"m going to put that to the side and get them done.

'I think my mum was really brave - I can"t put it into words.'

Yvonne knows there"s no guarantee her daughter will never be struck down with the disease - but believes the jabs are a good place to start.

She said: 'She knows she has to get it done. It"s only in the last couple of years I"ve spoken to Nicole about what I went through.

'I wouldn"t want another parent to go through what my parents went through with me.'

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