Teacher's Fight: Terminal Cancer, "Not Ready to Die"

Carly Scott, a 38-year-old teacher from Kenton, has been diagnosed with terminal stage four cervical cancer. Doctors discovered she had been living with the disease for approximately eight years. Despite the prognosis, Carly is actively seeking alternative treatments, including a costly procedure at a private clinic in Germany and proton therapy not available on the NHS.

Her condition was discovered after experiencing severe symptoms, including significant blood loss, which led to a hospital visit in early 2025. Initially treated for a heavy period, a subsequent hospital visit revealed the advanced cervical cancer. Carly is now undergoing chemotherapy every three weeks, with a current life expectancy of around two years if treatment is successful.

To fund her treatments and living costs, friends established a GoFundMe page, which has rapidly raised over £9,000. Carly's parents are also considering selling their home to contribute. She returned to work due to financial necessity, as her statutory sick pay and Universal Credit were insufficient to cover her mortgage.

Carly, who previously avoided smear tests due to anxiety, now advocates for cervical screening awareness, believing early detection could have saved her. She hopes her plight will encourage others, particularly those with similar anxieties, to attend appointments and prevent others from facing similar circumstances.