Coronation Street’s Ellie Leach flooded with support as she charts operation to remove cancer cells
Ellie has been praised for bringing awareness to the topic
Former Coronation Street star Ellie Leach has been highly praised for bringing attention to a topic that many women still find incredibly difficult to talk about: smear tests.
Three months ago, Ellie uploaded a social media video in which she recorded the before and after of her first smear test.
‘Hi guys, come to the doctors with me to get my first ever smear test,’ she began the video, filming from inside her car prior to the appointment.
‘I know a lot of people say that it’s nerve-wracking and uncomfortable, but then I’ve also heard other people say it’s not as bad as people make out. So I’m not getting myself worked up about it. I know that it needs doing. I know that I have to have one.’
Ellie went on to detail how she felt when she first got the letter inviting her to attend a smear test: ‘I was a little bit like, I feel old and scared, but actually it’s fine.
‘We have to have them and it’s better that we do have them to make sure that we’re all safe and healthy and happy. So yeah, I’m about to go into my appointment and I’ll let you know how it goes.’
After a quick camera cut, Ellie updated viewers on how the appointment went: ‘Guys, I’m actually not even joking. Like that was the quickest thing ever. I went in at about 9.45 and it’s 9.55 now and I’m out and done.
Honestly I feel like people put this off so much for years and years and years and my appointment was done in 10 minutes – actually she spent most of it telling me about the smear and telling me about HPV and she said it’ll only take two minutes and genuinely it took like 30 seconds.
‘It wasn’t really that uncomfortable I could hardly feel it if I’m being honest. The nurse made me feel really really comfortable she was so lovely.
‘We are nothing without our health. So yeah, if you have had a letter for your smear and you’ve not yet been, please, go. It’s really, really important and it’s over within seconds.’
Now, three months later, Ellie’s uploaded a further video, detailing the journey that came after the appointment, with the video split into segments, each at a different stage of her medical process.
‘I went for my first ever smear test, I was actually waiting for my results for about 5 weeks. I got a message on my NHS app and a phone call from a doctor to say that my smear results had come back, and that I was HPV positive.
‘It’s really common, a lot of women have it. If you do have an HPV positive result, you go back a year after your first smear just to like get checked over and stuff.
‘And then it also said that I had severe high grade changes to my cells. I have to go for, it’s called a colposcopy, which I think is like another smear but like a little bit more in depth.’
The video then cut to Ellie preparing to undergo her colposcopy, with her admitting: ‘I’m a little bit nervous.’
Cut to post-appointment, she said: ‘My appointment lasted half an hour – if that. They just put like fluid in my cervix just tosee what it brought up, I guess.
‘I could see my cervix on the camera which was a bit crazy and then just took a biopsy.
‘My results from my smear the first time came back with high grade changes – he said that this appointment was just to check that was right, and he said from looking at it, it does look like it is going to be high grade which will mean that I will have to have a procedure.
‘Obviously I will know more when my results come back.’
Detailing the procedure, Ellie said: ‘The actual like colposcopy, it’s called, was not too bad. It was a little bit uncomfortable, more uncomfortable than my smear was, but it really wasn’t too bad.
‘I just have like some cramps now, what period pains feel like, which is totally normal, the nurse just said. Take some paracetamol and you’ll be fine.’
Jumping ahead, Ellie said: ‘So I’ve had my results from my colposcopy. I had my appointment a week ago and I’ve already had my results back, which is great. So the consultant said that it does look like from my colposcopy that I will have to LLETZ, which I think stands for large loop excision of a transformation zone.
‘My cells in my cervix are high grade, which means that I will have to have that done, which I think is just that they use like, a heated wire and they burn off the cells that are pre-cancerous in your cervix.
‘So yeah, that sounds really uncomfortable. So I’m not looking forward to that. However, I do need to have it done because they are pre-cancerous cells. So if I did leave it, it would mean that they would potentially turn into cancer in like a few years.’
The video then cut to the day of Ellie’s procedure: ‘Morning everyone. Just got a little update on my procedure. I’ve got it today. I’m a little bit nervous. I’m sure I’ll be fine. I have to have local anaesthetic so hopefully I won’t be able to feel it.’
She then documented how she felt post-LLETZ: ‘I’m home now. It was fine. It just was really uncomfortable when they put the anaesthetic in. So basically what they do is they just use the speculum, I think what they use for your smear test.
They put the anaesthetic in the cervix and then they use like a little loop wire and burn off the cells.
‘Obviously they use anaesthetic because it’s using like, hot wire so I couldn’t feel that. It was just really uncomfortable when they put the anaesthetic in.
‘I just all of a sudden got really overwhelmed and started crying. I don’t know why, I just felt really emotional I think because it’s been going on for ages now and I’ve just been like really uncertain about what’s going on. Then to finally have them like removed I’ve just, I don’t know, it just felt like a bit of a relief.
‘I just burst into tears and the nurse was like ‘you’re doing amazing, don’t worry, it’s okay!’
‘They were all so lovely. Made me feel really, really comfortable. I think I have to wait like 3 weeks for the results to come back.
Ellie then provided an update to the LLETZ procedure: ‘I had it done 3 weeks ago and the reason why is because I had CIN2 cells, which basically means that they are moderate precancerous cells, and if they are left untreated could possibly turn into cervical cancer.
‘I’ve had my results through and they are basically just to confirm that the cells that were removed were CIN1 and CIN2, which means that they are exactly what they thought they were.
‘So yeah, finally got my results, feeling so much better about it now. Obviously I know they’ve been removed so that’s great, but I just was waiting for my results so I just was still a bit like apprehensive about what was going to happen.
‘But yeah, all fine, I now just have to go for another smear in six months time.
‘If this has taught me anything – I mean I knew it was important anyway – it is so important to go for your smear test. I know sometimes they can be uncomfortable.
‘I was absolutely fine during mine, but I am aware that like everyone’s different. I know that it affects people differently, but please, go for your smear test because they genuinely could save your life.
‘Obviously, if I hadn’t have gone for my first initial smear test, I would never have known that I had the pre-cancerous cells and now they’ve been removed. I feel so much better about it. Go for your smear test. Very important. Okay, love you, bye!’
The comment section was flooded with love.
Eve Appeal, the leading gynaecological cancer charity wrote an impassioned response to Ellie’s video: ‘Thank you so much, Ellie, for sharing your cervical screening and prevention journey.
‘We hear stories like this every day, and it’s wonderful to see you using your platform to help raise awareness about the importance of cervical screening.
‘For anyone going through a similar experience, or if you have questions about: HPV, screening, your results, colposcopy, or LLETZ treatment, we have lots of information on our website: eveappeal.org.uk/preventing-cancer/
‘Our Ask Eve gynae nurses are also here to help with free and confidential information. You can get in touch on nurse@eveappeal.org.uk or 0808 802 0019.’
@mrs_a_classroom added: ‘Well done Ellie. This is so positive and matter of fact. I’ve had this done 4 times now. It really is nothing to worry about. I’ve had two kids since with no problems. Well done for raising awareness. I just wish there was a video like this when I needed it more than 20 years ago!’
@ourlittlehome2017 said: ‘Ah Ellie! You’re so brave talking about this and raising awareness! I had CIN3 cells on my first ever smear and it was terrifying and went through a LLETZ procedure. Luckily I’ve had multiple checks since and all has been normal. Glad yours is all okay too’
@cancercampaigner also said: ‘Thank you so much for this! Having a celebrity use their platform to talk about smear tests, HPV, gynae cancer awareness etc makes such a huge impact’
