Choose screening: Cervical cancer prevention week 2024
The NHS have pledged to get rid of cervical cancer by 2040, however every day in the UK two women lose their lives to the disease and nine more receive a life-changing diagnosis.
The final week in January annually marks cervical cancer prevention week – a campaign that various UK organisations and charities work to raise awareness for. This year, the event, which was established to honour the memory of Jade Goody – a well-known British reality TV star who tragically passed away from cervical cancer at a young age – is taking place between 22nd – 28th of this month.
Launched by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, the UK’s leading cervical cancer charity, the awareness week has really come into the limelight since 2020, which is when the World Health Organisation (WHO) pioneered a global call for action to eliminate the disease for good.
Against this backdrop, in November 2023 NHS England announced their goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. Authorities claimed the way they would achieve this is by making it as easy as possible for people to get the lifesaving HPV vaccination and increasing cervical screening uptake.
‘England is one of the first countries in the world to commit to eliminating cervical cancer with an ambition to do so by 2040,’ an NHS England spokesperson said. ‘As ever, the public can play their part by coming forward for their HPV vaccines and cervical screening appointments when invited – over 3.4 million people came forward for cervical screening last year, but figures show that three in 10 do not take up this potentially life-saving offer. To achieve our goal of eliminating cervical cancer, we need as many people as possible to take up the offer.’
However, new research from Healthwatch has unfortunately suggested that NHS England may not achieve such a goal. In 2023, data from NHS England shows that around 4.6 million people aged between 25 to 64 have never been screened for cervical cancer or haven’t taken up their latest invitation to book appointments for screenings.
In addition, people aged between 25 and 39 were less likely to have taken up screening than those aged between 50 and 64.
Although, these unfortunate figures will not halt Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust’s progress from trying to eliminate the awful disease from our country. If anything, they’ve spurred the team to work harder. To mark cervical cancer prevention week last year, the charity launched an ‘End Cervical Cancer’ campaign, which can be found here.
Following this, the charity have also listed various ways we could all raise awareness for the cause. These include with friends and family, with work or within your constituency.
Members of Brighton & Hove City Council have become the latest to support Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust. Councillor Bruno De Oliviera, chair of the Health & Wellbeing Board, said: ‘Every day in the UK, nine women will be told they have cervical cancer, and two women will lose their lives.
‘The UK has the tools to make cervical cancer a thing of the past, and we’re supporting the call for government commitment to making that happen.
‘This can be achieved by prioritising cervical cancer as a health policy, committing to eliminating cervical cancer, and to developing a holistic strategy that improves and supports the cancer prevention programmes.’
Image: Angiola Harry
Almost three million people received urgent cancer checks in 2023
