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[Granny Primark]

Last year my daughter lost a close friend to cervical cancer. She was 25 with 2 small girls age 5 and 3. She lived not far from us, was an only child, was in the the same year as my daughter at school and planning her wedding for this year.
The magazine Thats Life has a 2 page spread that her mum wrote.
Its heartbreaking.
She wanted to go for a smear before she was 25 becuase her mum had cervical cancer at a very young age but luckily they caught it.
However she was refused.
As soon as she reached 25 she went for her 1st smear and was diagnosed with cancer. She had chemotherapy and radio therapy and got the all clear.
She contacted my daughter like she probably did with her other friends and encouraged my daughter to go for her 1st smear.
Sadly the cancer returned and she died last February.
My cousin had a testimonial football match after he died last year for the British heart foundation and her family attended.
Despite their own heartbreak they still think of others.
If Cathy had been able to get a smear then maybe 2 little girls would still have a mum. A mum that because they are so young they wont have memories of.
For the life of me I cant understand that we are a member of the United Kingdom yet N Ireland, Wales and Scotland get smear tests at 20.
Reading that story has made me so angry.
How many more young women will have to die before this government do something.
We are part of the United Kingdom yet we get treated so differently compared to the rest of it.
prescription charges, parking at hospitals, tuition fees.
But more importantly 2 little girls have lost a mum.
OMG I feel better for getting that off my chest.
Sorry for the whinge.

[PanchoGoz]

You're not from Cornwall are you? I'm sure this story was in the Cornishman on thursday. I signed a petition today to lower the age barrier to 20 to get the test. I mean, why 25?! We don't all suddenly become rampant at 25! Naff I say.

[Granny Primark]

Im from stoke on trent but im sure its the case all over the country. And its so so wrong.
We pay our taxes and contribute to the nhs like everyone else so why are we treated so differently?
Im lucky Ive got memories of my mum them little girls will have none.
Its about time something was done.
Last week on daybreak there was an article about another young woman that died of cervical cancer under the age of 25.
If the govenment had lost daughters with the condition before the age of 25 they would cercaintly do something about it.

[weeble40]

my daughter has 3 kids, and probably needs a smear test doing, but shes not 25 until next week so has always in the past been refused one, i do understand the doctors concerns doing it any earlier, but i also think the age should be lowered in certain cases, to many girls are losing their lives to this cruel illness, i just hope the new jab they are giving girls aged 13 now will help combat the problem

[Granny Primark]

I think its about time we stuck up for our rights.
I am really curious how many other parents and grandparents agree.
How would we feel if it was our daughter or grandaughter?
Jade Goody and her friends and family tried but to no avail.

[munkeyinblack]

I just wanted to add my experience to this - Thise who know me on here, know iv battled with this for a while now. I live in Scotland and had my first smear at 21 - theyve been abnormal ever since and in september this year I got the news that I had cancerous cells . i was so lucky they caught it early and I will be fine .

But if id had waited until 25 like women in England do I probably wouldnt be here now - being that I'm not 25 anyway but I had they not caught it I wouldnt have lived. I see no problem lowering the age to 20 and hope this is looked at and sorted before it affects many more
munkey x

[Magic]

Read your post Granny. Yes something needs to be done. what can we do though thatsthe question?
Lots of love

[macc noodle]

I think that this is a difficult one - especially at a time of rationing of funding throughout the NHS and I would imagine that the cost of implementing a widespread screening programme for younger women would be too expensive and unjustifiable against the number of cases in this age group.

However, surely they could have a system whereby if you have concerns, be it from family history of the illness or physical symptoms that you are experiencing then you can have a test irrespective of age?

It could be an opt in programme available to any woman irrespective of age. I bet that the current programme spends millions on encouraging women over 25 to have the screening yet how many do not bother? and more to the point, I wonder what the efficacy of the money spent actually is ie., statistically how many women can they attribute with being saved directly as a result of the screening rather than because they were symptomatic?

Choice is the key I guess - if you are 20 and concerned you should be able to have one. If you are 40 and do not want one why waste the money on chasing you to have one?

My thoughts are with anyone suffering as a result of this stupidity :hugs:

[Granny Primark]

The thing is the nhs in certain cases will supply funding for breast implants. There is so much waste in the nhs.
Ive got no objection to this where women have had masectomys yet ive heard stories of women having boob jobs just cus they were flat chested.
Im flat chested but Primark sell brill jelly bras.:D
There have got to be priorities and what could be more important than the life of a young woman under the age of 25?
If anyone knows of any campain that we can get involved in please put a post on.
P.s Sorry that you had cancer:hugs: but pleased that you have made a recovery munkey in black. All the love and best wishes from me.

[sickandtired]

After losing a friend to Cervical Cancer aged just 38 and already been treated for abnormal cells myself (aged 24).....I rang the doctors and asked for my smear test to be brought forward by just 6 months.The receptionist booked me in but when I arrived the nurse looked at my notes and said,"I cant do it,you arent due for another 6 months" I said," But 3 years is a long time for me and who knows what can happen...I have been treated before and it is still a worry in the back of my mind,especially because of the heavy periods I am still suffering with,(my hg was 8 )please...I just need to put my mind at rest"
she point blank said no.I said how ridiculous the whole process was and that whilst we were sat there debating about it,I could have jumped on the bed,had the quick test done and dusted!!
Again,she apologised and said to wait for my next app't...she doubted there would be any cell change in 3 years....I replied,"Oh,is that what they said to Jade Goody!!??" .....I left in tears.Luckily 6 months later,I had my test and it was clear.But,it still makes me so angry....many girls are sexually active by the age of 16.....so thats a whole 9 years of possible exposure.

[Magic]

sickandtired,
I'm so glad your test was clear, but what a performance. Surely something as simple as as smear test. takes about a couple ot minutes to do and I'm sure only a couple of minutes at the test lab--- could save a persons life . how unfair

---------- Post added at 14:43 ---------- Previous post was at 14:41 ----------

granny, yes I agree with what you say about the breast implants
xx

[Granny Primark]

Im so so angry. I feel so frustrated for you.
Im going get in touch with my local mp.
My daughter is a student nurse and I know she is more angry than me as it was her that lost her friend.
Its about time things changed before the next generation have to go thru what my daughters generation have.
Ive got 3 young grandaughters and I dont want the same thing happen to them that happened to Cathy and so many more like her.

[macc noodle]

I am appalled that you cannot get a test done if you ask your GP and they ok it - seems senseless to me.

I was under the impression that since it is easy enough to get ultrasounds etc done on NHS when you are suffering HA to put your mind at rest, then something as simple as smear should be as accessible?

We live in a very strange old world.

:(

[Alabasterlyn]

They have obviously changed the age at which testing is offered over the years as I had my first smear test when I was 22, but at that time it was only every 5yrs.

I have a friend who is 42 and because she has never been sexually active her local practice refuses to let her have the test done.

Women under 25 who want a smear but can't get one done on the NHS can have a test done privately at the Marie Stopes clinics for just £50 at the moment, which isn't really a lot of money when it's your health that is at risk.

Hopefully now that they have the national cervical smear programme for teenagers the next generation won't have to go through all of this.

[lildutt]

i reckon all women should be tested once they started there menstral cycle and also started having sexual intercourse. i know they are horrible to have but if it saves lives then so be it.