New Petition

We've been thinking for a while now about what our next step will be in trying to get under 25's screened. We have come up with a petition to allow young girls between the age of 18 and 25 to be allowed to opt in to the screening programme, so if they are worried or have symptoms they should be give the freedom to choose if they want to have a smear. A lot of young girls have no problems and do not worry about it, but unfortunately also a lot of girls have problems and, as we know, they cannot get screened.

Last year when we had our meeting with Professor Kitchener we talked about the possibility of having an opt in system for these girls, he said it was mentioned at the review board in 2009 but not everyone agreed to it so it was just left! So now we have started a petition to get the government to allow these girls the choice, and if they get that smear and it comes back abnormal it should be up to the girl if she wants to have any treatment, it's her life, her body, so it should be her decision. They have not shown any evidence that treatment causes fertility problems or miscarriages, but isn't a long life without a baby better than a life ending at 23?! I read somewhere on one of the various research papers I've read over the last few years, I think it was one of Dr Redman's papers, that it's not the actual smear that does any harm it's the treatment that is required after if the smear comes back abnormal. Again, that should be the woman's choice, her decision, nobody elses!!!

So please sign our petition and share it with all your family and friends. We are also running a handwritten petition along side it. If anyone would like to get signatures please contact me, either on Facebook Claire's Wish or email me claireswish@sky.com.