Donia Youssef has survived multiple cancers. She carries a variant of the BRACO gene. It makes her highly susceptible to the deadly disease. But Donia's last colonoscopy was canceled because of the junior doctor strikes.

I have to have annual colonoscopes because I have had tumors, cancerous tumors in my colon before. So obviously, it's a worry as a mom with two young children. I was on the list, on the NHS, supposed to have my colonoscopy. It got canceled first time because of the strikes. And And after that, I didn't hear from them.

Donia was so scared of her health worsening, she paid for private treatment, a cost she could barely afford. As a cancer survivor, every time you hear about a fresh round of strikes by the junior doctors, that must fill you with dread.

Absolutely. Because I get scared because I'm thinking a lot of my cover I can't get on the private, and a lot of it's really expensive. So, yeah, It's terrifying.

The Doctors Union, the BMA, says it was forced to take more action after three months of talks with the government broke down. The strikes, it insists, are to fight for pay restoration and to ensure ensure patient safety.

The government needs to realize that doctors aren't going away. This principle, this concept of full pay restoration is extremely important, not just for doctors, but for patients, because until we start valuing doctors and the workforce, then we'll never be able to provide patients with the care that they deserve.

1.4 million appointments have had to be rescheduled due to the industrial action. That started well a year ago. And so far, £1.7 billion has been spent to cover the disruption to services.

Our focus is on ensuring that we maintain patient safety, so we will be prioritizing emergency and urgent care. That does unfortunately mean we'll see some disruption, some appointments and procedures postponed and rescheduled.

Donia's cancer is, thankfully, in remission, but she lives with the fear of it returning at any time. That's why she and thousands of other patients are desperate to see an end to these strikes. Archish Joshy, Sky News in Essex.