Lanarkshire cervical cancer survivor campaigns for home testing smear tests after losing fertility from illness

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Lanarkshire cervical cancer survivor is calling for home test kits to be rolled out across the country in a bid to save women's lives.Emma Keyes was diagnosed in July 2021 after admittedly "ignoring" her smear test letters.The 31-year-old from Uddingston underwent a colposcopy, three biopsies and eventually a hysterectomy before she was given the all-clear in January last year.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android Already a mum-of-three, Emma says she felt lucky however was heartbroken when her fertility was taken away during treatment.

She has now created a petition calling for the roll-out of home-testing smear kits across Scotland after a trial was previously held in Dumfries and Galloway.

The Lanarkshire mum teamed up with fellow survivor Lauren McNulty, 29, from Twechar in East Dunbartonshire, and together they are campaigning for women to be given swab kits as soon as they become sexually active rather than waiting until 25, which is when cervical screening currently begins.Programmed screening was also changed from once every three years to once every five years in March 2020.They will take the petition to Scotland’s public health minister, Maree Todd, next week.Emma said: "I saw the letters but I never prioritised it because I was busy with my kids and working full time.