The late Sorcha Glenn.
The death of an inspirational young Derry woman from cervical cancer at the weekend has prompted Derry City Council to call for the age limit for cervical screening in Northern Ireland be lowered.
Earlier this year, Sorcha Glenn (23) spoke publicly about her her battle with the illess in the hope other women would go for screening.
She was laid to rest yesterday after losing her brave battle at the weekend.
At today’s meeting of Derry City Council, councillors unanimously agreed to write to Health Minister Jim Wells after backing a motion by SDLP Cllr Angela Dobbins to raise awareness of gynaecological cancers.
Almost 105 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the North every year and 24 die as a result.
Speaking during the debate, Cllr Dobbins said: “All women in Northern Ireland aged between 25 and 49 years are offered a cervical smear every three years.
Women aged between 50 and 64 are offered screening every five years.
“Cervical screening is not a test for cancer. It is primarily a method of preventing cancer through identifying and treating any abnormalities, which, if left untreated, could develop into cancer.
“There is evidence that suggests screening women under 25 can be harmful.
“At this age women often undergo natural and harmless changes in the cervix that screening would identify as cervical abnormalities.
The problem with screening is it involves putting these women through further tests and investigations they wouldn’t otherwise have gone through when, in most cases, these abnormalities would have sorted themselves out without any need for treatment.
“In 1988, women were invited for screening from the age of 20 by the NHS Cervical Screening Programme.
“In 2011 the age for screening was raised in Northern Ireland from 20 to 25.
“Lowering the age for screening would take account of the anomalies, i.e. cases of women under 25 who develop cervical cancer.
“It would encourage women to have greater awareness of their reproductive health at a younger age.
“Currently GPs can grant a smear test to a patient under the age of 25. However, as well as women expressing difficulty in obtaining smear tests, laboratories can also refuse to analyse the samples of women under 25.
“One alternative would be to lobby for laboratories to be compelled to analyse the samples of women of all ages and to make greater provision for GPs to grant smear tests to women under 25 who request them.”
Cllr Dobbins concluded: “I would ask Madam Mayor that you and this council recognise the need to raise public awareness of gynaecological cancers; and call on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to look at the age limit of cervical screening with the view of lowering it to aid early detection and therefore improve survival rates.”
Cllr Dobbins’ motion was supported by all parties who expressed their sympathies to the Glenn family.
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