Campaigns for life-saving test set to be honoured in awards launched by Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust

 

Thousands of women across the country are being encouraged to take up a life-saving test thanks to campaigns set to be honoured in awards launched by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust. 

With a woman diagnosed every three hours and three lives claimed each day, but latest figures showing rising numbers not turning up to be screened for the disease, the UK’s only dedicated cervical cancer charity is aiming to find the best local initiatives to boost awareness and uptake.___

Launching the Cervical Screening Awards in National Cervical Screening Awareness Week (6-12 June) Robert Music, Director of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust said: “Almost all cases of cervical cancer can be prevented and the UK screening programme saves around 5,000 lives every year yet one in five women nationally are not taking up their invitation to attend a five minute test that could mean the difference between life and death. For women under 35 that figure is even worse, with one in three not attending.___

___“We know how crucial it is to be more targeted with cervical screening awareness and that there is fantastic, high-quality work doing just that, making a real difference to women in local communities. We wanted to reward that as well as highlight it, so others could take it back to their own part of the country.”

Nilli Williamson, who headed up Salford PCT’s campaign, the outstanding winner of last year’s award, said: “We reached thousands of affected women and boosted attendance numbers by hundreds. We were thrilled to have had our work recognized and been named the winner in the Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust Screening Awards 2010.”
 

For more information contact Elizabeth Udall, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust on 07515 852690 or [email protected]