At just 30 years old, Anali Horrel of La Romaine, south Trinidad, received news that would forever change her life. In 2020, she was diagnosed with Stage 1 cervical cancer—a diagnosis that no woman is ever prepared to hear, especially at such a young age.
“I was scared,” Horrel recalls. “Your mind immediately races through every possibility.” In that moment, fear and uncertainty set in, but so did determination and hope—thanks largely to the reassurance and guidance of her medical team.
She did not have any children and was afraid that she would forever lose the chance to have a baby, as years ago, the treatment for her stage of disease would have been a complete hysterectomy (removal of the womb).
Her medical team included oncologists, radiologists and pathologists, and they all concluded that Horrel was suitable for a fertility-sparing procedure, a radical trachelectomy, which would not only remove the cancer but also still keep her fertility.
The team guided Horrel through every step of the journey with compassion, clarity, and confidence. Just over two weeks later, Horrel underwent a successful radical trachelectomy, one of the first in the country—a procedure that ultimately saved her life.
“My doctors led me to victory over cancer,” Horrel says. “I am forever grateful to her.”
Looking back, Horrel reflects on the importance of routine medical check-ups. She acknowledges that had she been attending regular screenings, the abnormal cells may have been detected earlier—before they progressed into cancer. This realisation has become one of the strongest messages she now shares with other women.
“For that brief period during my diagnosis and surgery, my life completely changed,” she explains. “My eyes were opened to every possible outcome. Nothing is guaranteed, and health should never be taken for granted.”
Today, over five years later, Horrel continues to work and live life to the fullest and even has her own successful pet grooming business. She maintains that she is not only a cancer survivor but also a voice of awareness, strength, and gratitude. Her story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of early detection, trusting medical professionals, and never ignoring your body.
“I survived cervical cancer,” she says proudly. “And I hope my story encourages women to prioritise their health, get checked regularly, and never be afraid to ask questions. Early detection can save your life — it saved mine.”
Dr Vanessa Harry’s note:
Radical trachelectomy is a surgical procedure developed as a fertility-preserving alternative to radical hysterectomy for selected women with early-stage cervical cancer. Historically, the standard treatment for invasive cervical cancer was radical hysterectomy or radiotherapy—both of which inevitably resulted in permanent loss of fertility. For decades, this meant that young women with early cervical cancer had no option to preserve the possibility of future pregnancy.
The concept of radical trachelectomy emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s, most notably through the work of Professor Daniel Dargent in France, who pioneered the vaginal radical trachelectomy combined with pelvic lymphadenectomy. The procedure involves removal of the cervix, surrounding parametrial tissue, and the upper vagina, while preserving the uterine body and ovaries. A permanent cerclage is placed at the uterine isthmus to help maintain future pregnancies.
The major benefit of radical trachelectomy is the preservation of fertility without compromising oncological safety in carefully selected patients. It is generally offered to women with early-stage disease (typically stage IA2–IB1), small tumour size, absence of lymph node involvement, and favourable histological features. For women who meet these suitability criteria, oncologic outcomes have been shown to be comparable to those of radical hysterectomy.
The introduction of radical trachelectomy fundamentally changed clinical practice by shifting the treatment paradigm from survival alone to survival with quality of life and reproductive potential. It provided hope and tangible options for young women with cervical cancer who wished to retain fertility—an outcome that was previously impossible. Today, with advances in minimally invasive and abdominal approaches, radical trachelectomy remains a key example of how gynaecologic oncology has evolved to incorporate patient-centred care alongside effective cancer treatment.
