TOWIE star urges cancer checks

Monday January 23rd, 2012

A TV star is in the forefront of a campaign this week urging young women to take part in cervical cancer screening.

Lauren Goodger has told how she "panicked" when she was told her smear test was abnormal.

She then discovered this did not mean she had cancer - but then learnt that she was being offered a simple procedure to prevent the disease.

This week is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, organised by the European Cervical Cancer Association.

Lauren, aged 25, is a star of the popular British television reality show, The Only Way is Essex and has half a million followers on Twitter.

Campaigners from Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust say as many as one in three women under the age of 35 are failing to take up invitations for smear testing.

Ms Goodger said: "I admit I panicked and when I told my friend, she burst into tears. This is the trouble. So many women don’t understand about the causes and symptoms or the tests and treatments for cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities.

"The result is they are terrified when they get abnormal results or they don’t even go for testing in the first place."

The Cancer Trust is planning to put up posters in 270 venues across the UK this week.

Director Rob Music said: "Every three hours in the UK a woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer but it is preventable."

Tags: Cancer | UK News | Women’s Health & Gynaecology

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