Guest Guest66881 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 This is the shocking last picture of a 19-year-old aspiring model taken before she died of cervical cancer, after being refused a potentially life-saving smear test because she was too young. Sophie Jones, of Eastham, Merseyside, had suffered crippling stomach pains for over a year before she was initially diagnosed with Crohn's disease, it was claimed. But in November, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer - which may have been picked up had the authorities listened to her pleas for a smear test, her family said. Now relatives have released the image in a bid to raise awareness about her case and their subsequent campaign to lower the age at which cervical smear tests are offered. 25 IS WAY TOO HIGH, I have five daughters and the thought of this happening to any of my kids is alarming. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2584037/Horrifying-picture-model-19-killed-cervical-cancer.html It starts at 18 here and as been that way since 1991. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisella Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 I read this story yesterday and it's so very sad - it surprised me that, whilst they don't offer the test generally on a wide scale at that age, surely if someone was complaining of the symptoms she had, the test should've been done ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest66881 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 That is what we was talking about, was she sexually active too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Total disgrace. This past few weeks I've been thankful weve been in Oz, because my 19 year old daughter went for a smear here, wouldn't have been able to do it in the UK. Withouth even waiting for results, something was picked up at the examination. Drs straight onto the hospital for an urgent appt for her. Thankfully for us it was benign, but they still insisted they took it out that very day...just in case. From me a very big thank you to all the professionals concerned. what that poor family must be going thru...... So to all of you reading this....please please please get your smears done, get your wife's to have theirs done and march your daughters to the drs if need be to get theirs done. Even if your in the UK and they say your daughter is too young....show them the evidence and demand they do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 That is what we was talking about, was she sexually active too? To be fair Paul, how many 19 year olds aren't sexually active.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest66881 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 I only said that Fi as i think in Britain they can get smear tests if they are sexually active, yet if they are not they can't until they are 25, sort of promotes early sex don't you think? This poor woman as died because of silly rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 I only said that Fi as i think in Britain they can get smear tests if they are sexually active, yet if they are not they can't until they are 25, sort of promotes early sex don't you think?This poor woman as died because of silly rules. Im a bit out of touch with the system in the UK Paul...I believed after Jade Goody that things had been changed, maybe not. why on earth not just make it standard...smears from age 16. this is a by the way...but I hate having smears done, but the practice nurse at my old UK Drs used to make me chuckle...in she would go, talking all the time, telling me what a lovely cervix I had:biggrin:. Always used to come home and tell OH what a lucky fella he was having a wife with such a nice cervix:laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 I went to the doctors and asked for a smear when I was under the age and they wouldn't give me one either. I had similar pains but had to wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 It's so horrible, what a waste of a life. Poor girl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickandange Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 I only said that Fi as i think in Britain they can get smear tests if they are sexually active, yet if they are not they can't until they are 25, sort of promotes early sex don't you think?This poor woman as died because of silly rules. I think currently in the UK you're only 'invited' to have a smear test from the age of 25 regardless of whether you're sexually active or not, but whether you can ask for one before this age I'm unsure. I had my first when I was 23 (the age was younger back then), and this showed up severe abnormalities which I had to have months of treatment for and now annual smears, and I think it's awful that girls currently have to wait until 25 to screen for a disease which affects so many younger people. I don't think earlier smears would encourage younger people to be sexually active at all either... There was a widespread HPV immunisation programme in the UK a few years ago where school aged girls (12 to 13 I think) were offered the vaccine to protect against some (not all) forms of the virus which cause the disease. The virus in it's different forms is carried by an incredibly high percentage of the population, so the vaccine I think protected against some of the types most associated with cell abnormalities and development of the disease. I just hope the current awareness generated by Sophie's case can lead to changes so that younger women get the screening when thy need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 In Scotland it must be younger than 25 because I had one this year and I'm 23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 This post just reminded me that I still hadn't got my results back in the post so I phoned the surgery to see if they could contact whoever deals with them just incase they had got lost in the post. She said that they are negative so that's good. I'm pissed off though, last time I phoned the receptionist said they don't get the results and that it goes through the post but that receptionist there just told me they've had the results since the start. People wonder why I hate my surgery so much lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Its a sad story but if I was convinced I had something wrong and the NHS wouldnt give me a test, I would have been tested privately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyv Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 This is a very sad case indeed. I am a sexual health nurse and agree that the age for first tests should be lower than 25 however there are reasons why this guidance was introduced. Many young women were having unnecessary treatments to the cervix, following mild abnormalities detected, which, if left untreated would have returned to normal without intervention. Unnecessary treatment can cause scarring and may increase the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women. If there are concerns someone has symptoms of cervical cancer then women may be referred to gynaecologists directly for assessment and treatment. Hopefully one day the age for screening will be reduced again in the uk. With the immunisation of young girls now routine then hopefully cervical cancer cases will be rare in the future. Also, I have to point out...if a women attends the gp/practice nurse/community clinic in England and a smear test is performed the laboratory will not process it on someone below the age of 24y 6 months even if it has been taken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melbkitty Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 So sad. They should be carried out as soon as women become sexually active (however young that may be) alongside sexual health tests. It was every 5 years when I was in the UK after 25 - shocking! And here in Vic every 2 years - tracked by the GP who sends out a reminder when it's due. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyv Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 The screening age in Scotland & Wales is 20 but there has been discussions to raise it to 25 in line with England & N. Ireland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 This is a very sad case indeed. I am a sexual health nurse and agree that the age for first tests should be lower than 25 however there are reasons why this guidance was introduced. Many young women were having unnecessary treatments to the cervix, following mild abnormalities detected, which, if left untreated would have returned to normal without intervention. Unnecessary treatment can cause scarring and may increase the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women. If there are concerns someone has symptoms of cervical cancer then women may be referred to gynaecologists directly for assessment and treatment. Hopefully one day the age for screening will be reduced again in the uk. With the immunisation of young girls now routine then hopefully cervical cancer cases will be rare in the future. Also, I have to point out...if a women attends the gp/practice nurse/community clinic in England and a smear test is performed the laboratory will not process it on someone below the age of 24y 6 months even if it has been taken. No disrespect to you @kellyv but not testing until that age is just darn ridiculous. Also what percentage if not treated did turn abnormal? ffs one minute we are getting told early detection is better, now your saying, nah leave it, it will get better!! Sorry nurse Kelly, but your post reads just like an Nhs throw out document, and having worked for the NHS for many a year, the last people I would believe are their spin doctors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickandange Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Wow such strong feeling fifi... I didn't read it like that though to be honest. Sounded like Kelly was just giving us the facts about the NHS's current stance on when the test should be carried out and why. Doesn't mean we have to agree, but I found the point about the labs refusing to process swabs quite interesting - didn't have a clue they would do that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 My 12 year old son has his HPV injection this year. Are boys inoculated in the UK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bell123321 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 I also agree that the age should be lowered to around 16-18. I had my first one by invitation at 25 however I had my daughter at 21, 25 is way to late in some cases. Even take Jade Goody she died aged 27. I have a friend who's 28 who refuses to have it done (because her mum died of Cancer) and I keep trying to convince her to have it done and have offered to go up to her's and go to the doctors with her. It's just a simple test that does not take long to get done, slightly uncomfortable but it doesn't hurt. The age really needs to be pushed down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickandange Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 My 12 year old son has his HPV injection this year. Are boys inoculated in the UK? That's a good point. I don't think it is in the UK, but maybe Kelly will be able to clarify this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Wow such strong feeling fifi... I didn't read it like that though to be honest. Sounded like Kelly was just giving us the facts about the NHS's current stance on when the test should be carried out and why. Doesn't mean we have to agree, but I found the point about the labs refusing to process swabs quite interesting - didn't have a clue they would do that! Of course I have strong feelings....but no disrepect to Kelly for sure. I'm sure she is just towing the NHS line. I too worked for the NHS for 11 years before moving to Oz . I loved my job, but I will still stand stand that things need to be changed. Would you like to go thru losing someone just because the government refused to aknowledge they had it wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bell123321 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 In Scotland it must be younger than 25 because I had one this year and I'm 23 England is 25 the rest of the UK is 20. Stupid the gap 5 years difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 25 years and above is ridiculous. Cervical cancer can and does occur at a much younger age. When I was at high school ( at 15 - 16 years old), we had gynecologist come to our biology class and talk about the gyn exam, pap smear etc. You can do pap smear whether sexually active or not ( not all cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV). I had mine every single year since I was 16. Even in the US where it seems like despite insurance I`m always paying out of pocket for everything, a well-woman exam including pap smear is fully covered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickandange Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Of course I have strong feelings....but no disrepect to Kelly for sure. I'm sure she is just towing the NHS line. I too worked for the NHS for 11 years before moving to Oz . I loved my job, but I will still stand stand that things need to be changed. Would you like to go thru losing someone just because the government refused to aknowledge they had it wrong? Would you like to go thru losing someone just because the government refused to aknowledge they had it wrong? Bit of an odd question that really given that I made it clear that from personal experience I don't agree with the governments current policy on it. I can't thank the system enough though for how I was screened, diagnosed and treated back when it was offered earlier, so I think there's also a lot to praise about what is offered too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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