Breast cancer survivor to climb Sydney Harbour Bridge

A BREAST cancer survivor who is ‘petrified’ of heights is to climb Sydney Harbour Bridge to raise money for charity.

Solihull Hospital midwife Veronica Morgan, right, will take on the challenge for Breast Friends Solihull.

She beat the disease four years ago with the support of the charity, which raises cash for services at the hospital.

Click the headline or link below to read.

Waiting boost for cervical cancer tests

WOMEN in Solihull will get cervical cancer results sooner under a pilot project.

Results from tests at Solihull, Heartlands and Good Hope hospitals will be available in 14 days.

Bosses say this will mean treatment will start sooner if needed.

Karen Tomlinson, cervical screening co-ordinator at Heartlands, said: “This really is an exciting development which will help us in our fight against cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in the Midlands for women under 35.

“Being screened regularly means that any abnormal changes in the cervix can be identified early on and, if necessary, treated to stop cancer developing.

“It is estimated that early detection and treatment can prevent up to 75 per cent of cervical cancers from developing.”

All women aged between 25 and 64 are invited for cervical screening. Click here for more.

What do you think? Leave your comments below. No registration required.

Click here to get stories by email.

MP: cervical cancer waits 'unacceptable'

WAITS for test results which could detect cervical cancer are ‘unacceptable’, Meriden MP Caroline Spelman said.

She hit out at Solihull NHS Care Trust after a backlog of smear test results was reported by The Birmingham Mail.

Mrs Spelman said: “It is quite unacceptable for women to wait for three months or even longer for these vital results.

“Any woman who has early signs of cervical cancer needs her test results quickly and then immediate access to expert treatment.”

In a press release, she said: “Over 1,000 woman die from cervical cancer in this country each year.

“Many could be saved by catching the disease earlier so we do need to prioritise test results.”

And she said a national target that results be returned in 14 days by the end of this year “might not be enough”.

She said: “I would like high risk cases dealt with even more promptly.”

Mrs Spelman said: “The daughter of a personal friend of mine, at 34, is the victim of misdiagnosis of cervical cancer so this is very much on my mind!"

Nationally, NHS trusts have reported an increase in smear screenings after the death of reality TV star Jade Goody from cervical cancer.

What do you think? Leave your comments below. No registration required.

Solihull has highest cancer diagnosis rate

SOLIHULL has the highest rate of serious cancer diagnoses, a report has found.

One in five of those referred to be seen within two weeks were found to have the disease, the NHS report found.

The national average is 12 per cent.

Yet survival rates are among the best 25 per cent of health authorities, suggesting patients are getting symptoms spotted earlier.