Shauna Dougherty (pictured with partner Liam Still) was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer a year after a misread smear test. Photo / Supplied
A young Auckland real estate agent is battling stage 3 cervical cancer after a misread smear test delayed her diagnosis by a year.
A complaint has been laid with the Health and Disability Commissioner and a claim lodged with the Accident Compensation Corporation over a case of potential medical misadventure that began when Auckland woman Shauna Dougherty went for a routine smear test in January 2024, after testing positive for human papillomavirus.
“It came back with abnormal cells of undetermined significance,” Dougherty said. “They told me to come back in 12 months because they said that it usually clears itself up.”
A year later, Dougherty had the follow-up smear and says she was referred for a biopsy.
“I get the biopsy done... it comes back with early-stage cervical cancer,”
A cone biopsy and multidisciplinary meeting review followed then she underwent a second cone biopsy and a lymph node biopsy. It was then Dougherty received a diagnosis.
“I’m in the 10% of people that have [cancer cells] spread to my lymph nodes, making it stage 3 cancer.”
“I couldn’t understand, you don’t just get cancer in a year.”
Seeking clarity, Dougherty requested a review of her 2024 smear, “it turns out that they misread the smear test”.
“Two pathologists did the smear and initially gave it the AS-CUS grading [Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance]. A year later, when they did the review of the smear, four pathologists reviewed it and said it was difficult [to grade].”
That smear was retroactively upgraded to ASC-H. The diagnosis was shattering. As was the realisation the chemoradiation therapy needed to save her life would leave Dougherty infertile.
“Before the biopsy, they just basically said that when you do get pregnant, your cervix would be weakened, you just have to be monitored during pregnancy.
“The second time, they were talking about the lymph node biopsy and were just saying, ‘if you were in the unlucky 10%, you will lose your fertility and won’t be able to carry a child’ but at the time, you don’t think it’s going to be you.
It was, in fact, her fate. Dougherty, who has always envisaged motherhood in her future, says she cried for days.
“I just couldn’t get off the couch. You go through the five stages of grief. It took weeks, maybe over a month, to fully go through it and stop being angry.
Dougherty is still anguished by thoughts her fate may have been avoided.
“If they had read it properly a year ago, I wouldn’t be in this position - losing my fertility after radiation and early menopause, having to have a surrogate carry my future children - if they had just done their job.
“Nobody gave me any option to come in and have another swab if it was difficult to read... If there are abnormal cells are undetermined significance and with HPV, why would you not bring me in?”
A June 2025 clinic letter of a gynaecological oncologist at Auckland City Hospital noted Dougherty “is very aware that this cancer may have been prevented if the 2024 smear had been accurately interpreted last year”.
Health New Zealand wouldn’t comment publicly regarding the care provided to Dougherty. However, Dr Mike Shepherd, Health New Zealand executive regional director, Northern told the Herald that in September 2023, the National Cervical Screening Programme (NCSP) changed the testing means for cervical cancer.
“Health New Zealand has now transitioned to the more sensitive HPV primary screening, which detects about 95% of high-risk HPV types, enabling earlier follow-up.”
Dougherty, who is vaccinated against HPV, urges people to do everything in their control to guard against cervical cancer.
“If you’ve got any symptoms, go get them checked out, even though I didn’t have symptoms...go and get your damn smear test, please,
“If I was one of those people who weren’t getting my smear test, I would be signing my death sentence.”
Dougherty says she has suffered emotionally, physically and financially.
In June, Dougherty and her partner Liam Still underwent two rounds of fertility treatment to preserve their chance of having future children of their own. The couple were planning to start trying for a family at the end of this year.
“I waited because I wanted to get my s..t sorted out, meet the right person and do some things before I settle down. Right when I was about to do it, it just got ripped away,
Dougherty says her loss of body autonomy has been toughest, “to grieve the loss of your fertility and your ability to have and carry your own children”.
Publicly funded fertility preservation is available for eligible people who will be undergoing surgical or medical treatment that is likely to permanently remove their fertility. This includes the collection and storage of sperm or eggs.
The couple’s first round of publicly funded fertility preservation froze nine mature eggs and three additional high-quality embryos. Dougherty was told there was “a 55% chance of having a child from nine frozen eggs” and concerned about those odds decided to go for a second, privately funded round. Their parents helped cover the $18,000 cost of that round which retrieved six additional, high-quality embryos to freeze.
A Givealittle page for the couple has raised $10,000 so far.
Dougherty is currently undergoing a six-week round of chemoradiation treatment.
ACC can investigate cases where a diagnosis or treatment is potentially linked to medical misadventure or a failure in the healthcare system.
Phil Riley, ACC head of service operations, confirmed they were assessing a claim related to the failure to diagnose Dougherty’s cancer earlier, and the impact this might have had on her treatment options.
“This process includes a blind review of her lab results by four other pathologists, and advice from a relevant medical specialist. We will make our decision as quickly as possible; however, because we are relying on advice from a number of specialists, this can take some time.”
Dougherty has also laid a complaint with the Health and Disability Commissioner, which confirmed it was assessing.
“At this early stage, we are unable to give a timeframe but are committed to regularly updating Ms Dougherty throughout the process.”