Review of Cervical Cancer Prevention Week 2011

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust participated in the 5th European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (23-29 January 2011) to help raise awareness of cervical cancer and ways to prevent it.

During the week, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust:

• Started two new services: a Helpline and pilot Support Groups.
  • The Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust helpline (0808 802 8000), available to patients, carers and friends, will be open Monday – Friday providing information and support on a range of topics including screening concerns, screening results, cervical abnormalities, cervical cancer, treatments and survivorship issues. For more information, click here.
  • Using feedback from our service users we have decided to trail Support Groups. The pilot Groups are running in Bristol, London, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle. To find out more register here.
• Launched a national campaign called ‘Are you an 80’s Girl?’ for women to encourage them to attend screening and vaccination. The 80’s Girl 970 posters and 200,000 postcards have been sent out. They are displayed at 220 cinemas across the UK. For more details about the campaign, click here.
• Announced new research – Results of a recent YouGov survey commissioned by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust showed that many women delayed or ignored their cervical screening invitation because it was hard to take time off work. They also told us that they couldn’t attend their appointment because their GP surgeries did not offer flexible appointment times, e.g. evening or weekend slots.
• Campaigned to improve screening opportunities – We called on the government to ensure that more women and girls have access to screening and vaccination (see our You Gov survey). An Early Day Motion (1326) has been released and can be signed by MPs. Click here for more information.
  
• Raised awareness – during the week, the charity and our supporters participated in a range of media stories from TV to radio to newspapers, online articles, and glossy magazines. These include: STV, the Sun, Independent, Nursing in Practice, Public Health Wales, Glamour magazine, Now Magazine, Metro Radio, NHS Kent, BootsWebbMD and Company.co.uk. Thank you to Amelle from the Sugababes who helped Jo’s during Prevetion Week by publicising the Fight Cervical Cancer In Style Campaign.
  
• Distributed materials to health practices, hospitals, individuals and companies to promote cervical cancer prevention.