Aussie mum-of-five who was too busy and ’embarrassed’ to have a medical check reveals how it nearly cost her life
Tarn Davies was a few years overdue for a smear test when she finally made time to see her GP. The decision saved her life.
The 39-year-old mother of five from Tamworth in NSW kept putting off the appointment due to her extremely busy schedule.
She told FEMAIL that she was healthy and had no worrying symptoms, so she did not think postponing the appointment would make sense.
“I have five children, one of whom was just a toddler at the time,” she said.
“I was working full time and I just didn’t have time for health checks. I didn’t have any symptoms and nothing felt wrong, so I didn’t prioritize it.”
It wasn’t until her doctor called her in a panic a few days after the test that she realized she should have gone sooner.
Abnormal cells and three lesions were found on her cervix and it would be months before the growths developed into cancer.
Tarn’s doctor said her condition was rapidly deteriorating and she needed immediate surgery.
Tarn Davies (above with her husband) was 39 when she was diagnosed with HPV and told it was ‘one stage before cancer’
The mother, left, had put off getting a smear test for a few years, saying she was too busy caring for her family and also felt a little uncomfortable making the appointment.
“My periods were regular, I was healthy, everything was fine,” Tarn said. “No abnormal bleeding, no cramps or pain, nothing.”
The test detected HPV-18 and abnormal high-risk cells.
HPV-18 is a common variant of the human papillomavirus (HPV) that, if left untreated, causes almost all cases of cervical cancer.
Together with HPV-16, both strains are responsible for most HPV-related cancers. These cancers are responsible for most cases of cervical cancer.
Tarn said that before the smear test, she was still in the “mom mentality” and always put her children and partner before herself.
‘I was the one making doctor’s appointments, taking my kids to the dentist, and going to the stores.
When she finally made the appointment, the mother of five (above with her children) was told she had almost been diagnosed with cancer
When it comes to my family, I usually put myself last.
“As a mother, if everyone else was doing well, I was doing well too.”
But the period of uncertainty following the abnormal result made Tarn’s heart beat faster.
“I was so scared,” she said.
‘The stress was really getting to me. All I could think about was what would happen to my children if I got cancer. How could they grow up without me?’
The mother said she also felt “ashamed” of the test itself, a feeling that contributed to her procrastination.
“I had a mental block when it came to getting smears. I’ve never had a bad experience and I’ve given birth five times, but I couldn’t bring myself to go through with it,” she said.
“But with smears – you just feel so embarrassed and self-conscious. It’s a weird thing to go and do.”
The mother is now 43 and looks back with regret on her hesitation.
Tarn, now 43, pictured here with her father, reminds every woman she knows to get tested and put their own health first.
“A few minutes of discomfort could potentially save your life,” she said.
“My doctors reassured me that the disease was confined to a small part of my body. It could have been so much worse.”
Tarn said she underwent several biopsies and other tests before a proper treatment plan was developed.
“I could have had a hysterectomy if it had been cancer. But my colposcopy showed that one of the lesions was CIN 3, which is the level before it becomes cervical cancer.”
Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is a change in the squamous cells that cover the outside of the cervix.
There are three types: CIN1 (mild), CIN2 (moderate) and CIN3 (severe). These types indicate how deeply the abnormal cells have penetrated the skin around the cervix.
In Tarn’s case, CIN 3 meant that the entire thickness of the cervical mucus contained abnormal cells.
“It’s scary knowing how close I was to cancer,” the mother said.
She now advocates for regular screenings and encourages her children—including her sons—to be vigilant.
“I told them to make sure their wife or girlfriend puts their health first,” she said.
“It’s important to raise awareness and make sure the people you love are doing well.”
Tarn is now HPV-18 free and only needs to be tested once every five years.
According to the Cancer Council, 80 percent of people are at risk of getting HPV at some point in their lives, often without any visible symptoms.
There are two ways to prevent HPV from causing cancer: vaccination and early detection.
Even if you are vaccinated, you should still get screened regularly. The National Cervical Screening Program recommends that people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 74 get screened for cervical cancer every five years.