Fiona met with Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust in Parliament to highlight their call to make cervical cancer a disease of the past. Cervical screening prevents 75% of cervical cancers from developing yet attendance in England is now at a 20 year low with only 75.3% of women in Cheshire East taking up their screening invitation.
Fiona said:
“Nine women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every day in the UK. Cervical screening provides the best protection against the disease so it is concerning to hear that so many women are not attending this potentially life-saving test when invited. We all have a role to play in increasing attendance and I would urge all eligible women to take up the offer of screening which could ultimately save their life.”
Fiona continued:
“Women can reduce their risk of cervical cancer in a number of ways - through attending regular cervical screening, being symptoms aware, knowing the risk factors and taking up a vaccination if offered.”
Robert Music, Chief Executive of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said:
“Thanks to the cervical screening and HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccination programme cervical cancer is a disease that can be prevented. We want to see it eradicated, however to get there we need to work together to increase uptake of cervical screening and HPV vaccination. If we do not do this, we will see more women diagnosed and more lives lost.”