Medical Negligence Experts Support Charity’s Campaign To Help Prevent Cervical Cancer
National law firm Irwin Mitchell are supporting a leading cervical cancer charity’s campaign, Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (CCPW), to raise awareness of the importance of attending cervical smear tests to prevent cervical cancer.
The national campaign led by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust kick-starts on Sunday 22 January to 28 January and encourages the general public to share selfies of wearing smeared lipstick on social media with the hashtag, #SmearForSmear.
Cervical cancer is the most common type of cancer in women under the age of 35 and in the UK; nine women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every day.
Cervical screening prevents 75% of cervical cancers from developing in the UK yet one in four women fail to attend when invited for a smear test, which is one of the biggest risk factors for developing the disease.
Irwin Mitchell’s medical negligence team deals with many claims for women, or their families, who have been diagnosed with the illness too late, or who have received inadequate care, giving them first-hand experience of the devastation cervical cancer can cause.
Expert Opinion
“Unfortunately we see many cases where women have had their lives devastated because of unnecessary delays in diagnosing or inadequate treatment for cervical cancer.
“Through our work with these women, or in some cases the families they leave behind, we see the heartache caused by cervical cancer, which is why we are backing Jo’s Trusts’ campaign to raise awareness about the importance of screening.
“The amount of women who are not attending smear tests when invited is surprising when you consider that early detection saves lives.
“Cervical cancer is a treatable disease with a good long term prognosis when it’s caught early, but delays can have terrible consequences. If you’ve been putting off having a smear test, it’s vital to remember that an early diagnosis could save your life. Nobody ever regrets having a screening, but they may well regret delaying or avoiding one.”
“Charities like Jo’s Trust provide a crucial service in preventing cervical cancer deaths and providing advice and support for those it affects.” Sarah Wealleans - Senior Associate Solicitor
Sarah Wealleans, medical negligence expert lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said:
More information on the signs and symptoms of cervical cancer can be found here.
Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in Cervical Cancer Claims.