Cervical cancer vaccine hailed a success (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Lifesaving campaign protects Halton schoolgirls from cervical cancer

12:30pm Friday 7th October 2011 in News By Barbara Jordan

A LIFESAVING campaign to combat cervical cancer has been hailed a huge success in Halton, say health chiefs.

More than 90 per cent of local young women have been vacccinated against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) across Runcorn and Widnes in the past year.

Statistics show vaccinating 90 per cent of young women will save 35 lives a year.

Cervical cancer kills around 1,000 women in the UK each year.

The HPV vaccine protects against the most common high risk types of HPV which are responsible for about 70 per cent of cervical cancer cases.

Dr Dympna Edwards, interim director of public health for NHS Halton, said: “We routinely vaccinate young women from the age of 12.

“By receiving the vaccine early, girls can protect themselves against HPV and cervical cancer in later life.

“The school nursing team from Halton has done a tremendous job in facilitating the vaccination campaign.

“It is down to their hard work that we have done so well.

“Three injections are needed which are given over a six month period. It is very important to complete the full course of injections to be fully protected against the virus.”

She urged parents to ensure their daughters receive the jab when it is offered in schools in the coming weeks.

One pupil who received the vaccine, said: “I was really scared at first, but now I feel stupid being worried.

“I just held my friend’s hand and I was fine.”

Another added: “The nurses give good informationi. It wasn’t as bad as I thought and nurses were really nice.

“I would rather get a needle than get cancer.”

More than four million doses of HPV have been administered across the UK since the vaccine was introduced in 2008.