A woman’s heartbreaking TikTok has gone viral, revealing that she has stage 4 cervical cancer.
In the video, she makes an emotional appeal to women saying, “please get checked”, “don’t let them send you home when you know something is wrong with your body”, “please fight for your lives”.
This week is Cervical Cancer Awareness Week. In the UK alone, 3,200 women each year are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and every day, two women die from it.
According to Cancer Research UK:
- Incidences of cervical cancer in the UK are highest in females aged 30 to 34 (2016-2018).
- There are around 27,500 new early stage cases (cervical carcinoma in situ) identified in the UK every year, that’s 75 every day (2015-2017).
- In females in the UK, cervical carcinoma in situ accounted for around 25,200 new cancer cases in 2017.
- Incidence rates for cervical carcinoma in situ in the UK are highest in females aged 25 to 29 (2016-2018).
Image: Big Brother Star Jade Goody died of cervical cancer age 27
NHS England data shows that about 30% of women aged 25 to 64 in England – amounting to the highest proportion in a decade – have never been screened for cervical cancer or are not up to date with their screen.
Complete a self-test at home today
Anthea Morris, a preventative health screening expert at Better2Know says, “Everyday in the UK 2 women die from Cervical Cancer, the first step to make sure that this is not you is to have an HPV test.
HPV is very common – 80 per cent of women have it at some time, and around 50 percent of HPV infections involve high-risk types of HPV. HPV causes most cervical cancers in women in the UK, and is usually passed on through sexual contact.
Women tell us how uncomfortable they feel having a GP screening, but most women don’t know that there is another option. If you would prefer to do a home test you can order them from Better2Know.
This is a self collect sample so that you do not have to undress at the doctors, you can also do it at a time that is convenient for you – just avoid having your period when you collect your sample. Over 30% of women do not go for their HPV test. If you have had a new sexual partner since your last test, then you may be at risk. The only way to know is to get tested.”
Cervical cancer can be beaten because at least 99 per cent of cases are caused by ‘high-risk’ strains of the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV).
Treatments are very effective if caught early.
Complete a self-test at home today
This article is supported by Better2Know
