Following a move to Ireland in 2020, Alejandra Diaz, aged 30, from Mexico, registered with a local GP practice and attended her first HPV cervical screening in 2022. Previously, she attended screening every year in Mexico.
Alejandra received a call from the GP practice nurse a few weeks later, in advance of getting her results letter. The nurse told her that her results indicated that she had HPV and abnormal cells had been found in her screening sample. Removing these abnormal cells (sometimes called pre-cancerous cells) means they will not be able to develop into cancer.
While “happy to have got the call rather than just a letter”, Alejandra said she “was surprised and frightened as I had no symptoms, so I didn’t expect these results at all”.
She was “reassured by a quick referral to colposcopy” at Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin, in early 2023. “The staff were kind and went through all the details before doing the colposcopy. They explained what was happening now and what is going to happen next as it was very important to me to be aware of all the steps. During the colposcopy, they took a small sample of my cells to test further. They showed me the images on the screen and explained it all as they went along and that took away some of my anxiety.”
A colposcopy examination helps a specialist doctor or nurse (colposcopist) confirm if cells in your cervix are abnormal and if you need to have them removed.
A staff member from colposcopy called Alejandra to tell her that the biopsy results showed she had abnormal cells. She explained the cells needed to be removed and this would happen during a procedure called a large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ).
“It was nice to get a personal call again before the letter arrived,” Alejandra says.
During the LLETZ, “the whole of the abnormal cells area had been removed,” explains Alejandra. “I had to take six weeks of complete rest to let the tissue heal. I was stressed and worried as they had removed one third of my cervix, but I knew that it was necessary. After about two to three weeks, I had physically healed.”
A follow-up test in early 2024 confirmed that all the abnormal cells had been removed and Alejandra continued going to Tallaght University Hospital for regular check-ups. In February 2025, Alejandra was told she won’t need another appointment for three years. She stresses that she will “continue to be very mindful of any cervical cancer symptoms and will go to her GP immediately if she finds any unusual signs”.
Speaking of her experience Alejandra says, “it was scary being in another country and not fully understanding the process. However, I have doctors in my family at home and they were reading and interpreting the HSE information for me.
“The HSE took me by the hand with their voices and booklets and guided me through their information. They always asked me before doing anything if I agreed to it, which I appreciated. It felt like there was a continual flow of ‘Here’s what’s next and here’s what to do’, from the staff. My family and I were comforted by this.
“I trusted that CervicalCheck would do what needed to be done if they found anything abnormal in my results. At the end of the day, it was a good thing that CervicalCheck found it and did what had to be done.”
Alejandra advises all women eligible to “absolutely go for screening. Cervical screening and the follow-up treatments are all free. I feel proud of myself for going there and not running away from it. I did something good for my future self. When the invite letter for screening comes don’t hesitate; just go for it.”
- Alejandra also shared her story in the Breakthrough Cancer Research ‘Cancer Revolution’ exhibition which continues to run at Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre in Dublin. Book your free tickets at cancerrevolution.ie
- Read more about why going for treatment after screening matters.