THE CERVICAL CANCER scandal has made a lot of Irish women incredibly concerned about their health and well being. The controversy revolves around over 200 women being given false negative results from their smear tests and not being told. 18 women of those women have since died.

Vicky Phelan and Emma Mhic Mhathuna both received clear smear tests in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Since then, both women have received terminal cervical cancer diagnoses. What has happened to all of these women is horrific and doesn’t inspire much hope in the Irish health system.

I am voting Yes for the women of Ireland who have been let down by our health service and by our government time and time again. If we really want women to be placed at the centre of their own care, Vote Yes to allow us to make the choice about our own care #WhoNeedsYourYes

— Vicky Phelan (@PhelanVicky) May 17, 2018

However, wellness blogger Rozanna Purcell has opened up on her Instagram about her experience with cervical cancer in a bid to encourage women to keep getting smear tests and to recognize possible symptoms of cervical cancer.

She was incredibly honest in the post, revealing that because of attending her smear tests, her precancerous cells had been caught early and thus allowed her to be treated.

I was embarrassed about how little I knew about cervical cancer. I have always been on top of my smear tests but presumed it was something that was hereditary or just would never effect me. I was very fortunate to have symptoms because without them I would not have gone for testing again(and again). And luckily because of this I caught it early( pre-cancerous )…..which means it’s very easily treated.

She also shared some of the most common symptoms of cervical cancer and reminded people that cervical cancer doesn’t always present with symptoms.

She also highlighted the need for discussion of women’s health to become more of an everyday subject as well better education around the topic itself.

We should be discussing women’s health like everyday subjects. What has happened recently with the cervical check audit is unacceptable and there needs to be accountability. Womens health on all fronts needs to be made a priority we have so many opportunities to make this happen in the coming months and weeks.

As of now the post has 5,000 likes on Instagram and many of her followers seem grateful that Rozanna has used her platform to educate people on something that should be talked about more. Rozanna also encouraged people to speak to their gynecologist about getting the HPV vaccine in the comments section.

One user commented:

Well done for using her your influence to educate @rozannapurcell especially during the cervical check scandal. Glad to hear you caught it in time.

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