Fight Cervical Cancer in Style staged a live event during European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (January 24-30) to educate girls and women about the disease.
 
Over a third (36%) of young women in the South of England admit that they still don’t know the cause of cervical cancer according to results from a recent GlaxoSmithKline survey of almost 400 16–35 year old women in the UK.

Robert Music, Director of Jo’s Trust, the UK charity dedicated to cervical cancer, said:
“This survey highlights that there is still work to do to increase the level of public understanding about the cause of cervical cancer, even despite the amount of media attention that the disease has attracted since the tragic death of Jade Goody last year.  This knowledge gap could leave girls and women at risk of the disease if they fail to take preventative action as a result. Most cases of cervical cancer are actually caused by a virus, called HPV, which is passed on through sexual contact.  The disease may not have any symptoms until it is quite advanced, so girls and women should be aware of the steps they could take to reduce their risk of cervical cancer, including screening, vaccination and living a healthy lifestyle.”

Currently, eight women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and nearly three women die of the disease every day in the UK. It’s the most common cancer in women aged 20-29 and the second most common cancer in women under 35 years old. However, less than one in four (21%) of 16-35 year olds surveyed across  he UK strongly agreed that they were at risk of the disease.
 
Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by a common virus called HPV (human papillomavirus).  The virus can be passed on through sexual contact, therefore girls and women are at risk as soon as they start having intimate relationships. The virus is usually cleared naturally but sometimes it persists and could lead to cervical cancer. When prompted, 61% of women in the South of England surveyed believed that females with a family history of the disease would be most at risk of cervical cancer. However, when asked an open question about the causes of cervical cancer, just 8% of girls and women across the UK stated that they believed it to be genetic, demonstrating an inconsistent understanding of the disease.

To find more about cervical cancer and how to reduce their risk, girls and women can speak to their GP or nurse, or visit the campaign website:
www.showyourstyle.co.uk