Love your Cervix - Cervical Screening Awareness Week

At Frimley Health and Care, we are proud to support the NHS’s vital Love Your Cervix campaign, which encourages young women across the South East to take charge of their health by attending their cervical screening appointments. This campaign is particularly important as it highlights the need for women who are due or overdue for their first or second screening to take action.

To further support this message and in recognition of Cervical Screening Awareness Week (19-24 June), we’re doing our part to raise awareness and encourage action. To make cervical screening more accessible and comfortable, we’ve created a series of short, informative videos. These videos cover a range of topics, including general awareness, tips for a more comfortable screening experience, addressing common and sometimes embarrassing concerns, and an explanation of HPV and how it is tested.

Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot is also hosting a walk-in cervical screening clinic on Monday, 23 June, between 9am and 4pm. This clinic is open to women, transgender, and non-binary people with a cervix, aged 25 to 64, who are due or overdue for their screening. The clinic will be run by specialist gynaecology nurses, ensuring a supportive and comfortable environment.

Cervical screening is a simple yet powerful tool in preventing cervical cancer, and the Love Your Cervix campaign is here to inspire women to book their screening appointments as soon as they are invited. We understand that myths and misinformation can create barriers to participation, which is why it’s so important to spread the message that cervical screening is quick, easy, and essential for maintaining good health.

Three young women from across the South East have shared their personal experiences to highlight the importance of cervical screening:

• Shreya, 28, from East Berkshire, has been having her cervical screenings since she turned 25. After receiving a borderline result from her recent screening, she felt reassured knowing she was actively monitoring her health: “A few minutes of discomfort is worth the peace of mind I get from knowing if I’m at risk. Cervical cancer runs in my family, so it’s important for me to stay on top of my health and know what’s happening in my body." 

• Morgan, 27, from Kent, was one of the first in her circle to book her screening appointment. Despite initial nerves and doubts from friends, she found the process quick and comfortable: “The screening was so quick and easy, and the nurse was super relaxed and made me feel comfortable. My advice to others would be not to trust everything you read online, book the appointment, and normalise talking about cervical screening with your friends."
  

• Megan, also 27, from Kent, had abnormal cells detected during her first screening. Thankfully, the cells were treated, and she continues to attend regular follow-ups: “ I had my first screening just before I was 25 and they found abnormal cells. Thankfully these were treated, and I am now okay and I attend regular routine screening. I didn’t hesitate to book my appointment. I know how important it is to catch any issues early on, and I want to keep my health in check for the long term.”

These stories are powerful reminders of why it’s so important to book that cervical screening appointment when invited.

Cervical screening can be life-saving, it can help identify high-risk HPV (the virus that can cause cervical cancer). Detecting abnormal cells early allows for timely treatment, which can prevent cancer from developing. The screening process itself takes less than 5 minutes, and the whole appointment usually lasts no longer than 10 minutes.

If you’ve received your invitation to attend cervical screening, please book your appointment as soon as possible. It’s a quick, simple, and potentially life-saving step to ensure you stay on top of your health. The more we talk about it, the easier it becomes to normalise cervical screening and take away any unnecessary fears.

Join us in spreading the message: Love Your Cervix. 

For more information on cervical screening, visit Cervical screening - NHS