Petition urges smear test age cut

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A 15,000-signature petition demanding the screening age for cervical cancer in England be cut from 25 to 18 is due to be delivered to Downing Street.

Supporters, including the family of Claire Walker, who died of the disease aged 23, will also stage a rally.

Ministers have said they will review the age at which women are screened.

The spokesman for terminally ill TV star Jade Goody, whose cervical cancer was confirmed in August, said she would be "there in spirit" at the event.

Publicist Max Clifford said: "If Jade was well enough she would have been there."

'Early stages'

Supporters of the petition will gather at London's Parliament Square before marching to Downing Street to hand in the petition.

They are calling for 18-year-olds to have access to smear tests, which can detect the early changes in cells that can indicate cancer.

In 2003, screening in England was moved to start at 25 as it was felt it did more harm than good in younger women.

But calls were raised for the screening age to be reduced again following publicity over the case of Ms Goody. We are talking about a disease that is largely preventable Robert MusicJo's Trust

The government confirmed that an expert panel will report later in 2009 on whether women aged 20-24 should be offered smear tests, as they are in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Claire Walker's parents, Bob and Lynn Walker, will be present at the protest.

Colin Everett, Claire's widower, told the BBC that early screening could have saved her life.

"The idea of screening is to catch cervical cancer at the early stages," he said.

"Obviously, Claire's was too advanced to catch it. If she'd been screened early, it would have been caught and treatment would have been made available."

Robert Music, from the charity Jo's Trust, said women in England should have the option to take the test at the same age as those in the rest of the UK.

"We are talking about a disease that is largely preventable," he added.

Mr Clifford said Ms Goody, 27, who is being nursed at her Essex home, had wanted to be present at the handing-in of the petition, but was "very weak".

He added: "Her message is, don't let what happened to me happen to you.

"What she has been saying publicly has had a huge effect out there on public awareness."

Ms Goody has been told she has just weeks to live after the disease spread to her liver, groin and bowel.

Doctors have reported more women asking for smear tests following her diagnosis.