The late Sorcha Glenn.
DERRY MLA Pat Ramsey has expressed his frustration after Health Minister Jim Wells says he will not change policies which left a young Derry girl dead.
Brave Sorcha Glenn died of cervical cancer after being refused a smear test because she was deemed too young to be screened.
The 23-year-old Derry woman died in October in the arms of her long-term boyfriend Matt Lynch.
Sorcha first visited her GP surgery in June 2013 – she asked for an early smear test after being worried about her family history of cervical cancer – but she was refused due to being under the age of 25.
Sorcha was diagnosed with cervical cancer in September and underwent rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in a bid to save her life.
But she lost her brave battle with the illness; it emerged she had left Christmas presents for her family.
MLA Ramsey asked Mr Wells what plans he has to introduce cervical cancer screening on request for people aged 25 and under.
But the Minister isn’t budging on the issue.
“In January 2011, the age to start cervical screening in Northern Ireland was increased to 25. This policy is in line with recommendations made by the UK National Screening Committee following consideration of the best available scientific evidence,” said Mr Wells.
“This is also the advice of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organisation, and is the policy adopted by the majority of EU member states.
“In population screening programmes, benefits have to outweigh any potential harms and it is important to get this balance right.
“Cervical cancer is rare in young women. Current evidence indicates that screening is not effective in women under the age of 25 because those who develop cervical cancer were as likely to be screened as unscreened.
“Cervical abnormalities are common in women under the age of 25. This means screening would pick up a large number of abnormalities that are transient and that would never progress to cancer. However, detection of such abnormalities can cause unnecessary anxiety and lead to further investigations and in many cases to treatment that is not needed. Treating cervical abnormalities, particularly in young women, can also lead to premature births in subsequent pregnancies.”
Pat Ramsey MLA:
However Mr Ramsey isn’t happy with the response.
He told Derry Daily: “I only received this response from the Health Minister yesterday which was promoted by the huge campaign after the untimely death of Sorcha Glenn.
“I am very keen to work alongside this group as strong advocate for change in N Ireland as a true legacy to Sorcha, it is not acceptable that young people are being denied a vital smear test which could help in early diagnosis and in turn saving lives.
“We all as politicians need to work together to progress this most important issue.”
