Remember Jade Goody? – the British reality TV star who made public her diagnosis of cervical cancer and sadly passed away in March 2009, aged only 27 years.

Following the announcement she was terminally ill in February 2009 there was a surge in cervical screening attendances.

• Now, 14 years on, still 1 in 4 do not attend their cervical screening test.
• The NHS urge women to book a cervical screening, which could be a potentially life-saving appointment.
• People who have been invited, missed their last screening need to book an appointment with their GP or sexual health clinic.
• Eligible people aged between 25 – 65 are invited by letter every 3-5 years depending on their age, or more frequently if HPV or cell changes are detected.
• Around 2700 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in England each year, but the NHS screening programme helps to save around 5000 lives each year.
• The NHS ambition is to eradicate the cancer through a combination of vaccination and early identification.
• Screening involves taking a small sample of cells from the cervix and looking for high-risk human papilliomavirus (HPV) that could develop into cervical cancer if left untreated. Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust is the UK’s leading cervical cancer charity, providing information and support to anyone that requires them and campaigns for the best in cervical cancer prevention, diagnosis and care. www.jostrust.org.uk.
• Further information and frequently asked questions can be found at www.macmillan.org.