A mum is urging all women to go for cervical screenings just weeks after her own daughter lost her battle with cancer.

Brave Cheryl Ogilvie passed away surrounded by family on August 16 after a two year battle with the disease, reports the Irvine Times.

The stunning 32-year-old mum-of-one was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cervical cancer in July 2016.

Cheryl had gone for her routine smear test when the nurse spotted something unusual and ordered a separate biopsy.

Despite Cheryl’s smear test results coming back clear, the biopsy results later showed she had a rare case of small cell sarcoidosis.

Over the following six months the brave Kilwinning mum underwent intensive chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a hysterectomy and in January 2017 the family, including Cheryl’s son Jay, 14, were delighted to learn she had been given the all clear.

But the hairdresser was dealt a crushing blow just four months later when she visited the doctor complaining of sciatic pain and was told her the cancer had spread and they had found a metastatic tumour in her pelvic area.

Brave Cheryl was also told the cancer was terminal but chose to keep that from her family in an effort to protect them.

Cheryl’s mum Mary McKee said that kind of selfless action was typical of her daughter.

She said: “Cheryl wasn’t one for fuss or sympathy. She would go in and see the doctor herself and we would go in afterwards. I respected her privacy but she was obviously discussing that it was terminal and she did not want us to know until she had dealt with it herself. She just wanted to protect us and tried to avoid us being upset.”

However just weeks later when she began more chemotherapy, Cheryl was told another tumour had been found in her spine.

Mary said: “By then the cancer had spread so she was just getting the chemo to extend her life.”

But Cheryl was determined to life her life to the fullest.
Mary said: “No matter what she was going through she was always determined to be there for Jay and when she was feeling well enough she loved to get her hair and make up done and go out for dinner and cocktails with friends.”

Cheryl’s death comes at the same time cancer charities warn the ‘Jade Goody’ effect has long gone after it was revealed 1.2million women in the UK failed to go for their smear test last year.

Mary said: “Cheryl was a huge advocate of making sure women and girls know how important it is to go for smear tests. She always said no one should be embarrassed about going. It is saving your life.”

Now Cheryl’s family, including dad Mark and step mum Jackie, hope her death will prompt more women into going for screenings, while they figure out how to cope with life without her.

Mary said: “She’s missed every day. We are all lost without her.”