Hansard

I thank Ruth Maguire for securing and leading the debate. Anyone who knows her will know that she does not like to talk about her own situation in her work, and I am in no doubt about what it has taken for her to talk in this public forum about the disease that she has had to deal with, but I thank her for doing so.

As with everything that Ruth Maguire does, it is about helping other women. That is just what she does, and I would like to assist her in that, in a small way, by outlining what women should be looking for. When it comes to cervical cancer, knowledge is power, so I am glad to have the opportunity to help to spread awareness and encourage others to take the necessary steps towards reducing their risk of that preventable disease.

Cervical cancer is preventable, and it can be treatable if it is found early enough. However, the symptoms can mask themselves as something that can be brushed off as the kind of curveball that our reproductive systems throw us women from time to time, not least when we are in our 40s and 50s. Not everyone will show symptoms, but it is still crucial to be aware of them, so I will highlight them. I feel that when we have these types of debates, if even one person who watches it live or who watches the recording on Facebook afterwards actually takes up the smear test invitation, it is worth it.

I will outline some symptoms that could be a sign of cervical cancer. One is vaginal bleeding that is unusual for you—it could be during or after sex, between your periods or after the menopause, or it could involve just having heavier periods than usual. Other symptoms include any changes to discharge from your vagina, pain during sex and pain in your lower back, between your hip bones or in your lower abdomen.

Those symptoms can be caused by other conditions such as fibroids or endometriosis, so, if you experience such symptoms, you might pass them off as being part and parcel of something like that. However, it is important to get checked by your general practitioner if your symptoms change or get worse.

I emphasise that some of those symptoms can be present in women who are about to go through, or who are going through, the menopause. Women who are around the age of 40 or older might experience pain or unusual bleeding and simply assume that it is the menopause. That is the thing about us women: we put up with quite a lot with our bodies. We get used to a certain amount of pain and discomfort, and we often just struggle on and pass it off. I say to women: do not do that, because you need to find out what is really going on.

Sometimes, however, there are no symptoms, and that is why screening is important, particularly in detecting any abnormalities as early as possible. Although we, in Scotland, have taken steps in the right direction to prevent cervical cancer, I share other members’ concerns about the uptake of screening invitations. As others have mentioned, about one in three women will not take up their invitation for screening. However, the facts do not lie: every week in Scotland, about six women will learn that they have cervical cancer. It is the most common cancer in women aged between 25 and 35, and screening might prevent you from having to deal with the disease.

I will end with some good news. First, my friend Ruth Maguire is back in action after her treatment, and thank goodness for that. Secondly, in the future, the disease that she had could easily become one of the rarest, with all our daughters having had the HPV vaccination. However, although cervical cancer might one day be eradicated, it will not go away on its own. We have to ensure that we get our daughters vaccinated and that we take up those screening invitations.

My thanks go to Ruth Maguire for bringing the debate to the chamber and for bringing Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust to the Parliament a couple of weeks ago.