When Jaime Baker turned 40 and started having irregular periods she assumed she was perimenopausal.
So it came as a huge shock when the Arbroath pole dancer learned that she actually had a rare form of womb cancer.
Jaime, 42, had a hysteroscopy to examine the inside of her uterus and cervix and a polyp removed from her womb at Perth Royal Infirmary.
She says: “After I had these done I felt great and I thought whatever the problem was, it had now been fixed.
“But then I got a phone call with results from a biopsy which had also been taken.
“She said ‘I’m sorry to tell you but you have tested positive for endometrial cancer’.
“It was devastating and a huge shock.”
In the weeks that followed Jaime had a hysterectomy.
And after her reproductive organs were examined, it was discovered she had a rare type of cancer known as uterine serous carcinoma.
It develops from the lining of the womb and is an aggressive, incurable form of the disease that typically develops in postmenopausal women.
The mum-of-one is sharing her story to alert women to the symptoms of womb cancer and encourage them to speak up for themselves if something in their body doesn’t feel right.
What were Jaime’s symptoms?
In August 2022, Jaime had just celebrated her 40th birthday.
Prior to this, her monthly period had typically lasted a few days with very light bleeding.
But she noticed this changed.
“All of a sudden I had a period which lasted for about ten days and it was a lot heavier,” she says.
“As I had hit 40 I thought ‘oh is this perimenopause?’ So initially I just brushed it off.
“Then the next month the same thing happened again.
“But it was strange because I hadn’t bled for two weeks and then suddenly I got my period again which I thought was a bit weird.
“I was bleeding for around two to three weeks and my hormones were all over the place.
“So I called the doctor and the first question I was asked was ‘is your smear up to date? Let’s get that checked.’
“I had that done and it was fine.”
At this point, Jaime also told her GP that she has the BRCA1 gene mutation – this means she has a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.
She assumed she might be fast-tracked through the system as a result, but this didn’t happen.
Having an ultrasound scan
Instead Jaime says her GP gave her tablets to ‘calm down’ her bleeding.
But she felt this was just masking the problem.
She wanted to find out exactly what was wrong.
So she decided to get a second opinion and another GP booked her in for an internal ultrasound.
She says: “In January 2023 I had the ultrasound and they told me I had a polyp inside my womb.
“They said this is quite common and they would scan me again in six weeks to see if it was still there.”
Jaime was referred to gynaecology.
But when she called the gynaecology department she was shocked to learn she would likely have her consultation in 50 weeks.
She felt she couldn’t wait that long.
Opting for a private consultation
Jaime, who owns her own pole dance studio in Arbroath, decided to opt for a private consultation.
“My GP referred me so I had a private consultation at Tayside Complete Health on June 7.
“I had an examination and the polyp on my womb was still there.
“As I was still having heavy bleeding the consultant booked me into the next available clinic for a hysteroscopy and polypectomy (procedure to remove the polyp from the womb).
“This was done at Perth Royal Infirmary on June 30.”
Womb cancer diagnosis
Jaime says the results of a biopsy taken during the procedures revealed she had womb cancer which came as a shock.
“I phoned my husband Paul and he came home.
“He was just as devastated as me.”
Jaime had a CT scan at the start of August and was told she would need a hysterectomy.
“The day after the hysterectomy my surgeon said they managed to get most of the cancer but there was a mass they couldn’t get. So the next step was chemotherapy.
“When the pathology results came back, that’s when they discovered I had uterine serous cancer.
“I was told it was controllable but not curable.”
Six rounds of chemotherapy
Jaime went on to have six rounds of chemotherapy from October 2023 to January this year.
During her chemo she carried on teaching at her studio and even performed there in an annual showcase for friends and family.
“At the end of my chemotherapy treatment in February, I had another CT scan and it showed there was no evidence of disease.
“I was so relieved to see that. I am now doing a lot of things to keep it at bay.”
Diet changes and oxygen therapy
When Jaime learned she needed to have a hysterectomy, she wanted to minimise her surgical menopause symptoms.
So she sought advice from a nutritionist who helped her overhaul her diet and she stopped drinking alcohol.
Jaime has also had hyperbaric oxygen treatment to help keep her immune system healthy.
Family support
She praised Paul, 46, and her family for their support during an incredibly tough year.
“They have been amazing.
“My daughter Jordyn and her partner Kelvin moved in with me and my husband last October and it’s been really good having them here.”
When Jaime shaved her head as her hair was falling out due to chemo treatment Paul, Jordyn, 25, her friend Rachel, and Kelvin decided to shave their heads too.
In doing so they raised money for The Eve Appeal, the leading UK national charity funding research and raising awareness into gynaecological cancers.
How pole dancing has helped
Jaime says having her pole and fitness business, the Butterfly Studio, has really helped her in her battle with womb cancer. It has given her a focus and it is a really supportive environment.
“When you first start climbing the pole you think you will never be able to do it but all it takes is passion and determination.
“I have used that same determination through my cancer journey. I am a big believer you can do anything you set your mind to.”
Now Jaime just takes each day as it comes and makes sure she looks after herself.
And after her own experience she is encouraging others to speak up if they feel something isn’t right.
“It is so important to advocate for yourself because no-one else is going to do it for you.
“I pushed for a second opinion to find out what was going on because I knew something wasn’t right.”
She adds: “I would say if something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore it.
“Listen to your body and trust your intuition because it has a good way of telling you something is wrong.”
- We’d love to hear about your health journey – have you overcome the challenges of living with a long-term condition? Or have you marked a special achievement despite having health difficulties? Please contact us with your story by emailing: debbie.clarke@dcthomson.co.uk
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