Skip to main content

#SmearForSmear

Do not be a fanny and get screened.

Just before I moved to a new house a couple of months ago, I received a letter prompting me to book my cervical screening ‘smear’, test. It was filed away quite quickly and forgotten about. In the back of my head it was almost like an automatic action, but it wasn’t until this week which is cervical cancer prevention week I realised the dangers of this action.

My newsfeed this week is filling with those raising awareness of cervical cancer and taking part in Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust #SmearForSmear campaign.

Simple post a pic of you with a ‘smear’ and encourage others to go and have their screening. The trust surveyed 2017 women and found that 35% women have put of having their smear due to embarrassment, 26% have found it hard to make the appointment and 35% would not take the time of work.

35% of 2017 women not being checked for a cancel that is responsible for around 850 women’s deaths a year because of embarrassment.

We live in a society where we view anything to do with the vagina, yes, I said VAGINA is met with a prudish eye roll and a quick change of subject. Mention these two words to anyone and I can guarantee you will be greeted with a screwed up disgusted face; PERIOD BLOOD. It is only this year Bodyform changed the famous blue liquid to actual represent blood in their adverts for sanitary towels. However, this is a natural occurrence that happens to billions of women for many years of their lives, always has, always will so why the stigma?

In one of the wealthiest countries we face a crisis that has barely been spoken about but is in every classroom, period poverty. Again, much of it stemming from the stigma of embarrassment.
Maybe, after two kids (one cut and one 3a tear resulting in surgery) I am no longer embarrassed about my downstairs. I also say why the bloody hell should we be? Once you’ve seen one you’ve pretty much seen them all. Whoever is doing your smear probably even has one and yours is like the millionth one of the day she has seen. I have now made my appointment and there was no shame from my side or embarrassment making it. I doubt I will have even remembered to shave and likely have one or more kids in tow with me on the day too.


Because, that is why I am having my screening, why Elijah is part of my photo. Because it is easier not to go, to have to find childcare to book time of work, or begrudge having to go through the ritual of getting undressed and wondering WHERE THE HELL DO YOU PUT YOUR KNICKERS? But this saves lives. It means I will be doing the right thing for my boys, and also, I wrote this post to encourage others to book their smear, to take part in this amazing campaign which is raising awareness and saving lives.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The time Fajita night resulted in having a baby in a bath.

The newest Cockerill Do you all remember my ever so optimistic natural birth plan? You can read it here. However, spoiler alert, it didn’t happen. What did happen was something no one was expecting. Wednesday the 5 th July… a mundane sort of day spent cleaning the house and doing the weekly shop. With Greg going back to work the next day I was determined to make sure everything was ready for when this baby arrived! I was three days off my due date and still hadn’t had one single sign this baby was imminently coming. I had been receiving messages from quite a few people asking if baby was here yet. I was getting fed up as everything I had tried to induce labour failed miserably and every morning for the last two weeks I woke up disappointed I wasn’t in labour! I gave up, walking didn’t help, pineapple made me sick and I was beginning to tire of the raspberry leaf tea. This baby was staying put. In the evening I put Elijah bed, and we began to settle down for the eveni...
7 comments
Read more

The NICU Club

Helping out at The Big NICU Family Photo F our years ago, I was sitting alone in a hospital side room after just giving birth. My baby was down the hall after being admitted to NICU and the echoes of the distant baby's on the ward were deafening. I was frightened, had no idea what was happening and was all alone. Lonely Alone with the fear my baby might die, alone that I knew no one who had gone through this. Alone with the fact I didn't know what the hell was happening. I had no one I could text, call just to ask what do I do? How should I feel? Should I be this angry? This resentful and bitter anger bubbled beneath the surface because I felt I was being robbed of my start to motherhood. I shut down, didn't want anyone to visit. If they did I shut myself away in my room and sent then down to NICU with my partner. I couldn't face the questions, the pity. Then during our time no one professional came to see if we were okay. A few leaflets here and there, a quic...
2 comments
Read more

Dad's feel guilty too don't they?

      Recently, there have been so many articles and posts about mum Guilt. As a NICU mum I felt beyond guilty when Elijah was born. Check out my Mum Guilt post on Selfish Mother. However, where is the dad guilt? Do dad's feel guilty? Or is this something us mums take upon ourselves to feel? Another thing as a mum we feel we have to take on (and then feel guilty about) because they don't? Is it a common mis conception that dad's don't feel guilty about anything?   When you have a baby, guilt is a huge part of motherhood, it's almost instant. The whole breast vs bottle argument is thrust in your face once your baby is born and your decision is then criticized by anyone and everyone. Something that dad cannot really feel guilty about, if baby doesn't latch and you formula feed (I think whatever you want or have to do is fine!).   As an equal partner in bringing the baby into this world and raising them, do dad's feel what we do? Are the...
Post a Comment
Read more