THE NHS is sharing the story of a woman who avoided attending a cervical screening for nearly two decades as part of a campaign to encourage uptake of testing.
Penny, aged 50, avoided her cervical screening for nearly 20 years because she felt uncomfortable with the idea of the procedure.
However during a visit to her GP for hormone replacement therapy in 2023, Penny’s nurse noticed she hadn’t come forward for her cervical screening for several years and encouraged her to take up the offer.
Reluctantly, Penny agreed, and was subsequently diagnosed with cervical cancer stage three following her screening in July 2023 and underwent a series of treatments.
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet two women die every day from cervical cancer.
It is most common in women aged between 30 and 35, but it can happen at any age and anyone with a cervix can get it.
Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that’s spread through skin contact, usually when having sex.
Most types of HPV are harmless but some types are linked to an increased risk of cervical and other types of cancer.
According to latest published data for Q1 2024/25, 71% of all eligible women and people with a cervix, aged between 25-64, attended their cervical screening in the South East.
Of the 2.48 million people eligible, more than 1.76 million took up the offer, leaving just over 719,000 who didn’t.
NHS cervical screening helps prevent cervical cancer by using a highly effective test to check for HPV, which is found in over 99% of all cervical cancers and which may cause abnormal cells to develop in the cervix.
These abnormal cells can, over time, turn into cancer if left untreated.
Penny said: “I didn’t want everything out on show–it made me feel uncomfortable.
“The nurse was amazing–she made me feel at ease. It wasn’t bad at all: no pain or discomfort, just five minutes compared to what I am going through now, which is far worse.”
“Looking back, I think I had symptoms but put them down to menopause.”
NHS South East’s Chief Nurse Andrea Lewis said: “The NHS has pledged to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040, which could save thousands of lives each year.
“We want women and people with a cervix to take charge of their health, take-up their invitation to attend cervical screening and develop the healthy habit of regular screening for the rest of their lives.”
Those who are due a cervical screening appointment will receive invitation letters by post when it’s time to book.
Appointments can be booked through GP practices and some sexual health clinics also offer the service.
Anyone who has previously received an invitation and been unable to attend shouldn’t wait for another invitation – you can still book a cervical screening appointment even if invited weeks, months or years ago.
More information on NHS cervical screening and how to book an appointment is available via: nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening.
