Somerset mum on why she supports the myGP's 'Remind Us' campaign

Since the news about Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding having breast cancer, these appointments have been at the forefront of our thoughts.

In Somerset, according to records kept by Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), only 75.1 per cent of eligible 25 to 49-year-old women attended their cervical cancer screenings from January to March 2020, with 76.8 per cent of women aged 50 to 64 attending theirs.

This means that in total, 33,486 Somerset women who were eligible to attend their cervical cancer screening appointment between March and January 2020 did not attend.

Figures explaining attendance at cervical cancer screening appointments in Somerset between January and March 2020

Now, a campaign has been launched by myGP urging NHSX to introduce text message reminders for patients who are due to attend cancer screening appointments.

One Somerset mum is very keen for the ‘Remind Us’ campaign – after she cancelled her cervical cancer screening earlier in the year and has yet to rebook.

Jemma Pearson, 33, from Frome, said: “I did have a reminder to re-book via a letter which did come quite a long time after I cancelled the first appointment.

“I am a busy mum and it just got stuck on a stack of paper work or was hidden under the sofa at some point.

“At the moment screenings and things are being postponed and people are missing them because they feel they can’t burden the GP practices.

“Now, more than ever, it is important to remind people to go to the screenings.

“I think for reminders to still be in letter form is still quite far behind – especially for younger people.

“Whatever age, wherever you come from, everyone could be affected by cancer and it is so important to be able to detect and diagnose as quickly as possible.

“Early detection means better chance of receiving treatment to save someone’s life and better survival rates.”

Mum of two, Jemma Pearson, 33, from Frome in Somerset