'I didn't have a cervical screening in 20 years', says Kent woman
The mum of two from Canterbury says cancer is a 'very lonely place to be'
Last updated 22nd Jan 2025
A mum of two from Canterbury - who didn't have a cervical screening for nearly 20 years has told us cancer is a 'very lonely place to be'.
Penny Dowley, avoided her cervical screening for almost two decades because 'life took over', she said: " I can remember a letter being on my side when I was in my 30s but I had my house, my job, my children, my husband and life just passed me by, I never even thought about it."
Then during a visit to her GP in May 2023, Penny's nurse noticed she hadn't come forward for her a smear test for several years and encouraged her to take up the offer, which the 50 year old now wishes she had done sooner, she said: "I could have saved so much grief, hassle, pain and I do regret it one hundred percent, all it would have taken was just five minutes of being uncomfortable and a little bit embarrassed, and now I bitterly regret it."
Through this, it was revealed that Penny had stage three cervical cancer and after a series of treatments, she was confirmed to be cancer free at the start of last year, however, the security guard is still recovering, she said: "I still have the fatigued, I still have the pain and it is getting better but it's still a slog.
"And I never thought it would be this hard. Cancer is a very lonely place to be, no matter how many people you have around you, whether it be your friends, family or work colleagues, it is a lonely path to walk, and it does affect you."
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, it is most common in women aged between 30 and 35, yet two women die every day from it according to NHS statistics.
According to the most recent data, of the 2.48 million people eligible for a cervical screening across the South East, more than 1.76 million took up the offer and just over 719,000 did not.
NHS South East’s Chief Nurse Andrea Lewis said: “The NHS has pledged to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040, which could save thousands of lives each year.
“We want women and people with a cervix to take charge of their health, take-up their invitation to attend cervical screening and develop the healthy habit of regular screening for the rest of their lives.”
NHS cervical screening helps prevent cervical cancer by using a highly effective test to check for HPV, which is found in over 99% of all cervical cancers.