Miles Briggs, Lothian MSP and the Shadow Minister for Public Health, is supporting Cervical Screening Awareness Week this week (CSAW, 12-18 June) by urging all women to attend their cervical screening appointment when invited. Miles has tabled a motion in Parliament backing the week which is led by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.
Cervical cancer currently claims two lives every day in the UK and it is the most common cancer in women under 35. Cervical screening prevents up to 75% of cervical cancers yet the number of women attending is at a 10- year low in Scotland and more than one in four women do not attend their screening appointment.
Miles Briggs MSP said:
“It is really concerning that the number of women attending cervical cancer screening in Scotland is at a ten year low in Scotland and the Scottish Government clearly needs to do more to encourage women to participate.
“I commend Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust for the good work it does. Cervical Screening Awareness Week is a great opportunity to encourage women to talk to their friends, mothers and daughters about the steps they can take to reduce their risk of cervical cancer. It’s such an important five-minute test that really could save your life.”
Robert Music, Chief Executive of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said: “We cannot afford to see cervical screening attendance fall any further. Diagnoses of cervical cancer in the UK are worryingly high and will only increase if more women don’t attend screening. We want to encourage women to look after their health, including the health of their cervix and that means attending cervical screening. By not attending, women are significantly increasing their risk of a life-threatening disease.”
Find out more about Cervical Screening Awareness Week at www.jostrust.org.uk/csaw
For more information please contact Miles’ office or [email protected] or call 020 7250 8311 (out of office hours 07772 290064)
About Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust is the UK’s only dedicated charity offering support and information to women of all ages and their loved ones affected by cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities. The national Helpline is on 0808 802 8000.
