A WALL of flowers has been created in Glasgow in an attempt to encourage more women to talk openly about cervical cancer screening.
The 1,000 flowers in the city centre are being used to create the wall that will be given away to women during the day as a reminder not to ignore their next smear invitation.
As the flowers are removed, the words Nip It In The Bud will be revealed – the message at the heart of NHS Health Scotland and the Scottish Government’s recently launched cervical screening campaign. Television presenter Storm Huntley, 29, added her voice to the drive as she urged women not to ignore their next smear invitation or to contact their GP practice if they missed their last smear.
A film entitled The Flower, created to challenge the reasons women give for not attending their smear, clocked up almost 24,000 views in its first week of release, and since its launch a host of women have shared their story in an attempt to encourage others to take part in screening.
Women will be encouraged to use the flower wall as a backdrop for selfies and share their pictures on Twitter using the Nip It In The Bud slogan to continue to spread the life-saving message.
Six women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every week in Scotland, and it is the most common cancer in women aged between 25-35. It is estimated one in three women in this age group in Scotland did not take up their invitations for cervical smears.
The smears can detect cells that could turn into cancer and the five-minute test is the best way to protect women from the disease, helping save about 5,000 lives a year in the UK.
Ms Huntley, a regular panellist on Channel 4 debate show The Wright Stuff, said: “There’s a lot of fear and embarrassment around smear tests and too many of us aren’t getting checked out. I hope this campaign will get people talking about screening and how important it is that we all make time for regular smears.
“Going for a smear is not something I look forward to, but the consequences of not going could be much worse.”
Christine Paterson, practice nurse at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “No-one looks forward to a smear appointment, but I want to reassure women that we’re trained to make the test go as smoothly as possible.
“I have done hundreds of smear tests and afterwards, most women – especially the first-timers – are surprised by how quickly it’s all over.
“Of course, it can be nerve-wracking, but there’s no such thing as a silly question, that’s what we’re here for.
“So, don’t ignore your next smear invitation, and if you missed your last smear test, contact your GP practice to find an appointment time that suits you.”
All women in Scotland aged 25 to 49 are offered a smear test every three years, while those aged 50 to 64 are invited every five years.
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