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Cervical cancer screening age to be debated in Parliament

The age limit at which young women can be tested for cervical cancer will be debated in Parliament later today. The debate was brought by Peri Cawley, who lost her 19-year-old daughter to the disease in March.

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Charity: 'Worrying' decline in women taking smear tests

Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, a charity dedicated to those affected by cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities, told ITV News that women who are invited to take smear tests are increasingly failing to make the appointments.

Unfortunately, we are now seeing a downward trend in numbers of eligible women across all age groups who are attending their screening so there needs to be a focus on encouraging women to take up their invitation.

Worryingly, one in five women do not attend cervical screening annually.

For young women aged 25-29 this statistic rises to one in three, while for older women aged 60-64 screening uptake is at a 16-year low and numbers diagnosed with the disease is rising.

– Robert Music, Chief Executive of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust

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