Cervical Cancer Prevention Week 2013
20th to 26th January 2013
Cervical Cancer Prevention Week is a European wide initiative lead by European Cervical Cancer Association (ECCA).
The weeks focus is on all things to do with cervical cancer including information about symptoms and causes of the disease, ways to prevent it and support us.
Cervical cancer is a preventable disease. Despite this in the UK in 2010, 20% of women did not take up their invitation for cervical screening and only 50% of girls offered the HPV vaccine in the catch-up programme have elected to have this potentially life saving jab. Raising public awareness of cervical cancer prevention is more necessary than ever.
In addition to prevention, a focus on the importance of early detection is also needed as this is the key to better survival rates. Because of this, the spotlight for Cervical Cancer Prevention Week 2013 will be on symptoms awareness.
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust (Jo’s Trust) is the only UK charity dedicated to women and their families affected by cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities. Their aim is to offer information, support and friendship to women of all ages, to help them to understand the importance of cervical screening, and to provide our own personal brand of support if their screening shows up abnormalities or if they are diagnosed with cancer.
To that end one of the things that the campaigning charity is doing during the week on the 24 January, is to hold an event to raise awareness of cervical cancer and prevention of the disease among within Manchester’s black, faith and minority ethnic groups (BME) community.
According to the Jo’s Trust website:
“Every year in the UK over 3000 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer. However, it is a largely preventable disease thanks to cervical screening and HPV vaccination. Recent research has shown that awareness of cervical cancer and uptake of cervical screening are considerably lower in BME women when compared to the
The Manchester event is being jointly organised by the NHS Cervical Screening Programme, which oversees screening in England, and Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, the only UK charity dedicated to women and their families affected by cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities.
A similar event was run in January 2012 which resulted in positive feedback from BME groups that attended.
The CWU fully supports Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust and last year Dave Joyce, the union’s Health & Safety Officer reported in LTB036/12 on the work and servicesw that the trust offers.
One key area is that of advice from experts in cervical cancer. The LTB highlighted their 'Ask The Expert' service:
With Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust 'Ask The Expert Service', you can put your questions to a Panel of qualified experts who have all kindly volunteered their time and expertise to help the Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust community. Ask The Expert allows you to ask specific questions related to all aspects of cervical cancer. Once you have submitted your question online, it will be passed on to the volunteer medical panellists who have the expertise to answer your question. The service is completely confidential.
The Website also has a 'frequently asked questions' list to help and this could answer your query immediately rather than having to wait for a response from the panel. It could put your mind at rest.
Since its launch the 'Ask The Expert Service' has supported several thousand women from all over the world. Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust encourages you to seek appropriate professional medical advice or care for any situation or problem that you may have.
The 'Ask The Expert Service' form is on their website here
Source: CWU / Jo's Cancer Trust / European Cervical cancer Association
Further information: Jo's Cancer Trust website
The European Cervical Cancer Association here
