Virgin Media Television donates advert and air time to Jo's Trust to boost cervical screening awareness

News Release

VIRGIN MEDIA TELEVISION DONATES ADVERT AND AIR TIME TO BOOST CERVICAL SCREENING AWARENESS

Virgin Media Television has donated the production of an advert and commercial airtime to Jo’s Trust, the UK’s only cervical cancer charity. The advert highlights the importance of attending cervical screening.

Virgin Media Television’s entertainment channel LIVING had a long standing relationship with Jade Goody over the last four years, making four series with the reality star and culminating in the final Jade series which aired over the last few months of Jade’s life. LIVING’s Claudia Rosencrantz, Director of Television Virgin Media Television, said “By making her private battle public Jade left a lasting legacy of her extraordinary bravery, beauty, humour and dignity and a vastly increased awareness of cervical cancer. We were very pleased to be able to support Jo’s Trust in this way and hopefully continue to increase awareness for cervical screening.”

In 2007/08 a total of 4.2 million women aged 25-64 years were invited for cervical screening in England, but only 3.2 attended. For those aged 25-29 almost 34 per cent didn’t attend.

Robert Music, Director of Jo’s Trust, said “We are so grateful to Virgin Media Television. Their offer is incredibly generous and will help us reach many more women, educating them about the importance of attending regular screening for cervical cancer. We are very concerned at the numbers of women who didn’t go for screening last year - potentially putting their lives at risk. This advert could make a real difference.”

April 20th 2009

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Notes to Editors

Jo’s Trust - www.jotrust.co.uk - is a registered charity established in 1999 by James Maxwell in memory of his wife Jo who died of cervical cancer. Jo’s Trust is dedicated to women, their families and friends affected by pre-cancer and cancer of the cervix.
Since its launch 20 years ago, the NHS Cervical Screening Programme has been highly successful, saving an estimated 4,500 lives every year. Despite this, the numbers of women attending is going down year on year with 1 million not accepting their invitation last year

Further information:
For all Jo’s Trust enquiries please contact: Robert Music, Director: 020 7936 7498, 07980 720061, Robert@jotrust.co.uk

For all Virgin Media Television enquiries please contact Judy Wells, Head of Press, Virgin Media Television 02072995348/judy.wells@virginmediatv.co.uk

Last updated: 20/04/2010