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'Lower age for cervical cancer test': Crusade of mother hit twice by disease
A MUM who had to undergo radical surgery to save her from cervical cancer is campaigning for earlier checks for the disease.
Elaine Davies's two sons were the same age as Jade Goody's when she was diagnosed with the dangerous condition.
She had her ovaries, bladder and part of her bowel removed to clear the cancer.
Now the 43-year-old from Chelsea Mansions, Northowram, will be among a party travelling to Downing Street with a petition calling for action.
Until 2003, the NHS cancer-screening service started inviting women for cervical testing at 20. But the age was raised to 25 after research about negative effects.
Mrs Davies said: "I've joined a group campaigning to get the smear test age lowered to 20, to fall alongside Scotland and many other countries.
"We do not accept the Government's statement that the reason they do not conduct smear tests is due to changes in the cervix in young women, meaning they may get a false positive and this would cause more harm than good.
"Death from cervical cancer causes much more harm." She praised Big Brother star Jade, 27, who has been told her cervical cancer is terminal, for raising awareness of the condition.
"When they told me I had cancer it was absolutely devastating. I thought I was going to die," she said.
"Your whole life changes. It's horrible."
Mrs Davies was 35 when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer eight years ago. She had suffered bleeding but her doctors put it down to a hormonal problem.
It was only after repeated visits and a private consultation that a tumour was found.
She underwent a hysterectomy but a year later the cancer returned.
Doctors said her best hope was an extreme operation known as pelvic clearance. It took 15 hours and 12 months of recuperation.
"I still have regular check-ups but I'm still here," she said. Mrs Davies has started a Facebook page to gather supporters and has already had over 4,000 people sign up.
Next month she will join fellow campaigners who could include Jade's publicist Max Clifford to present a petition calling for the age for smear tests to be brought down to 20.
For more information visit clairesmessage.org
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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