Since then, we are delighted to announce that at least 700 people have been screened for cervical cancer. This article sets out the background to our work in this area. In essence, we are improving detection and treatment and getting vital health information to the communities that need it.  

We are greatly reliant on the generous support of our donors to advance this next round of the initiative. Please read to the end of the post for further details on donation and YOUR impact.   

Safe Sexual Practices  

Cervical Cancer is non-communicable, meaning that it cannot be spread from person to person. However, women become more vulnerable to the disease following infection with the HPV virus, a common sexually transmitted infection. For this reason, protective sexual behaviours, including the use of barrier devices, are vital to reducing the incidence of cervical cancer.   

We encourage men to take an active role in fostering safe and positive sexual experiences. Tragically, women diagnosed with cervical cancer may face abuse or neglect from those closest to them because the disease is often linked to stigma around female sexuality.   

Education and Capacity-Building  

Fear and misinformation keep many women away from cervical cancer screening and treatment. As with other forms of cancer, early detection is critical. Treatment is cheaper and less invasive at the pre-cancer stage, when abnormal cell changes that could develop into cancer are detected. A study conducted across rural and urban communities in Uganda revealed a worrying trend, with participants wrongly ascribing cervical cancer symptoms to their personal medical history. For example, a woman living in rural Uganda had put her unusual bleeding down to a past miscarriage.  

Our educational training camps give women the full picture, including how to prevent and detect and detect cervical cancer and where to find a local clinic. Our community ambassadors have worked alongside local partners to design culturally relevant educational content to be shared through outreach events and radio programmes.   

Atwongyeire Sheillah, who took part in one of our training camps, describes how the initiative changed her life “Many of us, including me, didn't know the signs and symptoms of breast and cervical cancer. Thank you so much for training us”.       

Empowering Women  

At the core of our approach is female empowerment. Our community ambassadors work on-the-ground, reminding women that medical treatment is a fundamental human right. We also stress the vital role of community support in recovery. We encourage our rural community ambassadors to offer personalised home visits and run peer groups where women can share their experiences in a safe environment.   

Looking to the Future   

Through raising awareness of the importance of timely cervical cancer screening, we hope to serve as an example to policy makers and encourage the implementation of a similar programme on a national scale.   

If you would like to support this worthwhile initiative, we invite you to donate by following this  link . A donation of just £19 would supply cervical cancer education materials for ten women, while £39 would cover the costs of potentially life-saving cervical cancer screenings for two women.   

Bibliography  

Cárdenas-Turanzas, M., Follen, M., Benedet, J.-L. and Cantor, S.B. (2005). See-and-treat strategy for diagnosis and management of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions. The Lancet Oncology, 6(1), pp.43–50. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/s1470-2045(04)01712-7.  

Mwaka, A.D., Walter, F.M., Scott, S., Harries, J., Wabinga, H. and Moodley, J. (2021) ‘Symptom appraisal, help-seeking and perceived barriers to healthcare seeking in Uganda: An exploratory study among women with potential symptoms of breast and cervical cancer’, BMJ Open, 11(2). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041365.   

Nakisige, C., Schwartz, M. and Ndira, A.O. (2017) “Cervical cancer screening and treatment in Uganda,” Gynecologic Oncology Reports , 20, pp. 37–40. Available at:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gore.2017.01.009.  

NHS (2024). Causes of cervical cancer [online] NHS. Available at:  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-cancer/causes/. (Accessed: 1 April 2025).  

Owokuhaisa, J., Turyakira, E., Ssedyabane, F., Tusubira, D., Kajabwangu, R., Musinguzi, P., Galiwango, M., Randall, T.C., Kakongi, N., Castro, C.M., Atukunda, E.C. and Maling, S . (2024) “Barriers and facilitators of retention in care after cervical cancer screening: Patients’ and healthcare providers’ perspectives,” BMC Women’s Health , 24(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-03343-1.