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Published: 22 January 2025

“At colposcopy I was told I didn’t need any further treatment, just more monitoring... Now I’m back to screening every five years – which is fantastic.”

Beth Wallace (photo credit: emmajervis.com)

Psychotherapist Beth Wallace is a regular participant in CervicalCheck cervical screening. Here she talks about how it felt to have an abnormal screening result after years of a normal test result, the fear of what it might mean, and her experience in colposcopy for further tests

“When cervical screening first started, there was no conversation around your cervix or what it was for. There has been a massive change in how we talk about issues around women’s gynae health in Ireland. Today we can talk about things like how cervical cancer develops; things like the impact of menopause on women’s sex lives. We’ve come a long way.

“I have no information on my biological history because I’m adopted. That’s part of my reason why I want to take all the proactive steps I can to help take care of my health.

“I work in the field of sexual health so cervical screening has always been important to me to do, but even I get nervous in the build up to going for my screening test. Are they going to find anything? The thought of a stranger staring at my vulva; worrying it is going to hurt; I am always uncomfortable with it. But each time it is over in a heartbeat. The sample takers are so lovely and soothing, calming me down. They know women might be stressed, anxious, concerned coming for their test.

“It’s so easy – the letter comes to you to say make your appointment and that you can bring someone with you. And when the sample-taking is over, everything is usually over for a few years until you’re due your next test.

“I would have gone for my test each time I was called over the years – within six months of getting each invitation. I always assume the best outcome. I know that most women get a ‘not found’ letter and are done with screening for up to five years after. But then I got the letter saying everything is not okay – that they’d found abnormal cells. I had instant terror.

“But what happened was that I just had to go to colposcopy because they needed to have a closer look at my cervix. At colposcopy I was told I didn’t need any further treatment, just more monitoring to make sure nothing was changing in my cervix. I went back to colposcopy for my screens every six months, which was quite stressful, and then annually for three years to keep an eye on things until everything was fine. Now I’m back to screening every five years – which is fantastic.

“I had to be pragmatic about colposcopy. I will be lying with my legs in the air; I might find the speculum opening the vagina difficult; it might not be over in a minute. But on the other hand, do I want to get cervical cancer? No I don’t.

“During my time in colposcopy the HPV test became available. I had a HPV test and I was told the reason for my abnormal cells was that I had HPV – the virus which causes most cervical cancers. HPV is passed through sexual contact. There can be shame around sexually transmitted infections and it is so important not to stigmatise anyone who has HPV.

“It was important for me that I got my CervicalCheck results when they said I would. It was helpful for my mental health that I knew when to expect my results. I could prepare for the letter.

“I have lived in other countries, and I know we are very lucky here in Ireland – there are lots of places where this kind of health service doesn’t exist for women, and they have multiple barriers to any screening that does exist, such as female genital mutilation. I feel enormously lucky to live in a country where the health service provides a life-saving service to hundreds of thousands of women a year and where screening and follow-up tests at colposcopy are free of charge.

“From my own past experience, and in my work as a counsellor, I know that women who have experienced sexual trauma are less likely to go for a screening test. It can be triggering for people you don’t know… you’re reluctant to consent to have a stranger examine your genitals. So it’s important for sample takers to be sensitive. Aware. To take time to do procedures and explain what they are doing – to ask for consent at every step of the way. All of this makes a huge difference to the woman on the couch. I support trauma-informed training for every sample taker – it’s relevant to all patient services really.

“Fear is a powerful driver of human behaviour. What I’d like women to know is that it needn’t get in the way of you going for what could be a life-saving test.

“There are things a woman can do to make herself more comfortable, like bring a chaperone, see a therapist to coach you through the process, or discuss with your GP ways to make the test a bit more comfortable for you.”


  • The National Screening Service would like to thank Beth for sharing her story with us.
  • Going for cervical screening every time you’re invited, and going for follow-up tests and treatment every time you're advised, can help to prevent cervical cancer developing or to find it early when it’s easier to treat. Find out more in our essential guide to free cervical screening in Ireland.