I’m backing Cervical Screening Awareness Week, which runs from the 13th-19th June 2016. The Awareness Week, part of a wider campaign led by Jo’s Trust, aims to boost participation in screenings for cervical cancer. Research from the charity shows that cervical cancer affects over 3,000 women across the UK each year, with 1,000 losing their lives.
 
Cervical cancer affects thousands of families across the UK, and eight new cases of the disease are diagnosed each day. Smear tests prevent 75% of cervical cancers from developing, yet a quarter of British women do not attend screenings when invited. The overall uptake of cervical screenings in Wales is slightly higher than in other parts of the UK, but there has still been an alarming decline in smear test participation over the last twenty years.
 
Cervical Screening Awareness Week is a good opportunity to highlight the life-threatening risks posed by cervical cancer, and a chance to encourage as many women as possible to attend a smear test. If we can increase the numbers taking part in this simple and effective check-up, many more lives could be saved.
 
To find out more, visit https://www.jostrust.org.uk/