Mom of three diagnosed with cancer after doctors claimed she was too fit and young to be ill

A mom of three was devastated after doctors dismissed her cancer symptoms as a hernia — because she was too “fit and young” to be seriously ill.Lydia Southam made ten visits to her GP complaining of heavy periods, stomach lumps, bloating and frequent urination – but says her concerns were brushed off.The 37-year-old, from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warks., was only sent for urgent tests two years later after a female doctor realised “something wasn’t right”.Lydia was referred to Warwick Hospital in June 2023 and was diagnosed with Stage 4 low-grade serious ovarian cancer (LGSOC).She said: “I did naively believe them, I was relatively fit and well.I was still going to the gym and doing everything normally.“As a woman you’re just told to deal with these symptoms, you have to power through.

Because the GP wasn’t concerned I wasn’t concerned.“The potential outcome is that it could have been really quite bad for me.”Lydia first raised concerns back in 2021 after noticing changes to her body.She said: “I’ve always struggled with heavier periods but they were getting heavier at the time.“I’d gone in to see the GP about that initially but I was dismissed.”During pregnancy, her pain worsened but again her concerns were brushed aside.She added: “When I was pregnant there was a lump on my tummy and they said it was due to the pregnancy.“I’d gone in with a lot of pain and I felt like the baby had no space.I was saying it doesn’t feel like she has any room to move.“After that I had symptoms, like frequent urination, pain, and bloating.“I had those symptoms but didn’t go in for those symptoms straight away.”Months later, more unusual signs appeared but Lydia says they were misdiagnosed yet again.She said: “Fast forward another six months I had some spots that turned up on the right hand side of my abdomen.“I then went back in when I found a lump, which looked like a hernia on my tummy.

They just told me it was a hernia, they d...