Flower power used to convey importance of cervical screenings

Campaigners aiming to get more women to have cervical screenings took to Waterloo railway station to raise awareness.

New research found that one in three women have skipped a routine cervical screening exam. Healthwatch England suggested the NHS should offer at-home tests after their research found that 73 per cent of women who were hesitant about cervical screening would be in favour of home tests.

The Eve Appeal – which claims to be the UK’s leading gynaecological cancer charity – teamed up with Eflorist  at the famous station for Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month, running throughout September.

During the event, the team handed out 669 flowers to raise awareness of symptoms and screening – a number chosen to represent the 669 women who die from gynaecological cancers every month in the UK.

As part of the wider campaign, Eflorist will be gifting £1 from the sale of selected bouquets directly to The Eve Appeal’s cause – £10,000 goal – with a screening reminder attached for the recipient.

Athena Lamnisos, chief executive of The Eve Appeal, said: “At Eve, we know that raising awareness of the five gynaecological cancers will lead to early diagnosis. And detecting these cancers at their earliest stage saves lives and leads to better outcomes for women.

“‘Nipping cancer in the bud’ is the focus of our mission and we’re so delighted to share this with Eflorist by launching our partnership this Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month.

“We know that straight-talking about gynaecological cancers is so vital when we’re raising awareness and talking about gynae anatomy – euphemisms and nicknames don’t help anyone understand their bodies. With Eflorist we’ll be challenging the taboos and working together to talk about the importance of early detection, screening, and research.

“The Nip it in the Bud campaign will help Eve to fund groundbreaking research, offer nurse-led information and support to those affected.”

Jessica Hosegood from Eflorist said: “By handing out 669 flowers at Waterloo Station, our aim is to remind people to book and attend their cervical screening appointments, to raise awareness of the importance of early detection and prevention.”

Pictured top: The team at Waterloo station getting their message across (Picture: The Eve Appeal)