A mother diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer claims her symptoms were repeatedly dismissed as menstrual bleeding by doctors.

Charley Jayne Law, 31, from Sydenham, London, experienced severe bleeding with clots the size of her palms but was told by multiple male doctors over several visits to a London hospital that it was "just her period."

After months of being overlooked, Charley was finally referred to the gynaecology department at King’s College Hospital, where she was diagnosed on January 27, 2025, following multiple blood tests, transfusions, and iron tests. Her condition was so severe that she had to be admitted as an inpatient and make the heartbreaking decision to place her children in emergency foster care.

Now receiving treatment at Guy’s Cancer Centre, Charley has been informed that while her cancer is incurable, it is treatable. She is focusing on regaining her strength—having dropped from 12st to 7st—so she can begin chemotherapy.

"I attended hospital multiple times between September and December 2024, only to be dismissed by doctors who didn’t even conduct a basic examination," Charley said. "Hearing my diagnosis in January shattered my world. Despite being so unwell, I was still looking after my children, doing school runs, managing household tasks, and attending medical appointments alone."

The decision to temporarily place her children in foster care was devastating for Charley, but she knew it was necessary for her to receive hospital treatment.

"When I finally received a proper examination, I could tell something was wrong within seconds," she recalled. "The specialist’s reaction gave it away. When a Macmillan nurse was introduced, my heart sank."

Charley is gradually regaining weight and hopes to begin chemotherapy soon. However, her children, who have additional needs, are struggling to understand why she can’t return home.

"My kids have been my strength throughout this," she said. "They’ve had their world turned upside down, but they’ve been incredible. I just want to make as many memories with them as possible, taking photos and videos for them to remember me by."

To help Charley and her children enjoy quality time together, her family set up a fundraiser to support a holiday for them.

Family member Julie Mullan, 47, from Sidcup, said, "This has devastated Charley. She just wants to stay alive as long as she can for her babies. We want to give her and her children a chance to create special memories together."

A spokesperson for Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust expressed sympathy for Charley’s diagnosis and encouraged her to reach out so they could investigate her concerns about her emergency department experience. They noted that she had self-discharged before a full medical assessment could be completed and offered their support for her ongoing treatment.