When cervical cancer tests are carried out in the East Midlands, the results are sent to the Royal Derby Hospital to be analysed.
Alison Cropper, Consultant Biomedical Scientist at Royal Derby Hospital said:
‘We’re actually the regional hub for the East Midlands and we process the cervical screening samples from across the whole of that patch. And on an average year, we receive about 300,000 samples.
But Allison says too many are still failing to get tested.
‘Between two and three in every five do not attend.
‘And it’s such a shame that they don’t because the cervical screening test, although not particularly pleasant to have one, it is a test that could save your life.’
Michelle Cam was diagnosed with cervical cancer at the start of the COVID pandemic.
She said: ‘It’s so frightening. It’s worrying. You don’t know what’s coming. You don’t know what your future is going to be like. It’s free screening, it’s available for every lady, isn’t it?’
‘You’d be silly not to go. If you can’t do it for yourself, do it for your loved ones. Think of your children, think of your husband.’
Meanwhile, campaigners say there’s no reason women should continue to suffer. Recently, NHS England announced a commitment to reduce cervical cancer to a point where almost nobody develops it by 2040.
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