According to figures 1 in 6 couples in UK are experiencing fertility issues – if you are not one of them then you probably know someone who is.
Here at WCSUK we are only too well aware of these issues. As we see more and more younger women being diagnosed with womb cancer we see these women not only having to cope with a cancer diagnosis and treatment but then going into early menopause and being denied the chance of ever having a child of their own. There is often very little help or support for them as dealing with the cancer is seen as the priority – yet for many of these women, losing the ability to give birth to a child of their own is the thing that they struggle to deal with the most.
Even some of the women who were past child bearing age when they were diagnosed often struggle to come to terms with losing their womb, especially if they have never had children. Womb cancer takes away the very thing that makes us women.
I was diagnosed with womb cancer when I was 46; I don’t have any children. I now know that I was probably infertile for many years due to hormonal imbalances and other gynaecological issues. At the time I just thought it might happen one day – but it never did.
I always wanted children – there is a strong line of twins in the family and I always imagined that I would have a set. Even had names picked for them! But it never happened. I had more or less dealt with the issue by the time I hit 40 – took many years and countless nights of crying myself to sleep.
Then a few days ago I saw a video from Fertility Network UK made as part of their Hidden Voices project and it bought it all back to me. I was in tears by the end of the short video. Sometimes we think we’ve dealt with things but we haven’t really; we’ve just pushed them to the back of our mind and moved on in the best way we can.
I hope that this week’s awareness campaign brings this issue out into the open and makes it easier for people to talk about. Remember that it’s not just an issue that affects women; many men struggle to deal with this issue. So do would be grandparents, watching from the side-lines.
Infertility is an issue that we need to talk openly about and we also need to make sure that the support is there to help people deal with it all.
If you have been diagnosed with womb cancer and are dealing with this issue, would you be prepared to share your story? If so, please contact me using the form on the website.
Xx Kaz xx