Cervical Screening Awareness Week 2021

Did you know cervical screening (a smear test) looks for HPV, the human papillomavirus?

If you've been invited for cervical screening you might have heard about HPV. Maybe you saw it on your invitation letter, or perhaps those three letters appeared on your results.

If you don’t know what it is, you’re far from alone. HPV is the topic we hear about the most through our support services, with callers who are confused, anxious and upset about what it means to have HPV. For lots, the first time they even saw the word was in their results.

Cervical screening and waiting for results can be difficult, if you don't have the facts or know where to find support, it can be even harder. 

Five million women and people with a cervix are invited for screening every year. We don’t want anyone to be in the dark.

This week is Cervical Screening Awareness Week. Help us:

• Reduce confusion about HPV
• De-mystify cervical screening results
• Shout about the importance of cervical screening 

Live in Northern Ireland?

The cervical screening programme is slightly different. Find out about the cervical screenng programme >

Get involved

We want every woman and person with a cervix to know where they can get information and support about cervical screening and we need your help to do so! It’s really easy to get involved and there are lots of ways you can do so, from supporting on social media to getting your workplace involved and displaying posters or organising fundraising. We also have a template press release you can access by clicking the button below.

Post on social media using #CervicalScreeningAwarenessWeek

You might want to share your story or use one of our graphics or HPV film (download them on the button below)

Don't forget to tag us: @JoTrust on Twitter or @JosCervicalCancerTrust on Instagram

Suggested tweets

1. Cervical screening and waiting for results can be difficult. If you don't know where to find support, it can be even harder. Give @JoTrust a follow during #CervicalScreeningAwarenessWeek and help get the facts out http://jostrust.org.uk/csaw
2. By testing for HPV, cervical screening can stop #CervicalCancer before it starts. Help @JoTrust share this message & reduce the confusion around HPV during #CervicalScreeningAwarenessWeek http://jostrust.org.uk/csaw
3. If you don’t know what #HPV is, you're not alone! For many women and people with a cervix, the first time they see the word is on their cervical screening results. Join @JoTrust for #CervicalScreeningAwarenessWeek from 14-20 June to help share the facts: http://jostrust.org.uk/csaw

Useful links:

• What happens during cervical screening >
• Cervical screening results >
• HPV FAQs >
• About cell changes > 

Share your story 

HPV is really common, normal and nothing to be ashamed of, yet it can make people feel isolated when they learn they have it. We want to change this and we are asking you to share your experience. You can create a short video, answering one or more of these questions, then share it on social media.

1. What’s the 1 thing you wish you’d known about HPV before you were told you had it?
2. What was your reaction when you first learnt you had HPV?
3. What is the top thing you want other people to know about HPV?

Here’s an example to get you started.