Smear Test Poster - Little Boy on stair - Mum didn't have test - now I have no Mum.

[Granitetopping]

AIBU to think that this poster is in poor taste and uses unnecessary emotional blackmail?

[echt]

I had no idea 25 was the start date for this in the UK. It's 18 here in Australia, and a good thing too.

[MerryCouthyMows]

FPC = Family Planning Clinic.

HTH.

[Alwaysasking]

SchroSawMargeryDaw do you live in England? And what's an FPC?

[FitzgeraldProtagonist]

I took my children to my smear test. Perhaps more educational than need be!

[ImagineJL]

And whoever it was that implied that GPs only promote smears for the money - words fail me, that is beyond ridiculous.

[ImagineJL]

YABU. It's not meant to be a poster that makes people happy, or even a poster that is so bland that people don't notice it. It's meant to grab your attention and make you think, and the reaction from people here is evidence that in many cases it has prompted action.

These ad campaigns cost a lot of money for the NHS, and are only undertaken if there is a reason, so I imagine smear numbers are down, suggesting that simply having knowledge and gentle advice isn't sufficient for the population. Scare tactics are needed.

I think the end justifies the means.

And just for info, GPs don't actually want to refuse smears to under 25s. They have no choice, the labs simply won't process smears of people under 25, due to government guidelines.

[Fightlikeagirl]

Not leaving my two DS's without a mum was the biggest reason I let doctors pump me full of toxic chemicals a few years ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I didn't want to put myself through treatment but family reminded me I needed to do it for them and they were right. So many of us say we'd give up anything for our children and I gave up my hair! (Growing back steadily!)
I'm 2 yrs clear now but still live in fear that I may leave them before they grow up.
I got my smear test reminder this week, I will definitely be going just like I go regularly for check ups at the BC clinic.
Emotional blackmail or not it works for me and for plenty of others so if it saves lives then brilliant.

[ThisIsMummyPig]

I haven't read past the first page, but I knew someone who contracted cervical cancer which was found when she was pregnant. She died before she celebrated her daughter's first birthday.

I don't find it an entirely comfortable experience, but there is no way I would not go.

[McNewPants2013]

A smear test is not a great big deal, I put it off for over 6 years and thanks to the lovely posters on here i took the big step and had it done.

The poster stops and makes people think, because I would challange anyone to say what fears them more having a smear or leaving thier young child without a mother.

[AnnaRack]

Can i just say a smear test is no big deal, takes about 1minute. It doesnt hurt much

[SchroSawMargeryDaw]

Always I've had 2 smears and I am only just 22.

You could always go to a FPC and say you are 25?

[Alwaysasking]

I'm 23, so am not able to get a smear until I'm 25. Adverts like this scare the shit out of me because I am desoarate for a smear but not able to get one. I am convinced the age requirement is just the NHS trying to save money, I have a 4 y/o ds, the younger you are when you have your first baby the higher your risk.


I was in the bracket of women who were too old for the anti-cervical cancer injection and too young for the smear. I work in a college in Wales, where there are posters everywhere reminding students in their teens to go for there smears. Makes me pretty mad.

[expatinscotland]

What MrsDeV said. I have been diagnosed with PTSD, too. After DD1 died, I hadn't been home in 2 months and found a letter dated 25 May to go for a smear test. It was July. I rang up the next day and went in. NO ONE likes them, but they are the only way to test for cervical cell abnormalities.

[MerryCouthyMows]

And I have to say, this smear test wasn't half as bad as my previous ones.

For a start, the metal thingy WASN'T metal any more - it is plastic now, and far less uncomfortable. For a second, my nurse seemed to be so gentle I barely felt it.

[MerryCouthyMows]

There probably WASN'T another way that would have persuaded me to ACTUALLY get a smear test done.

This campaign is obviously aimed at people like me, where the only thing that DOES get through to them and make them ACTUALLY go for a smear test is imagining their DC's without a Mum.

There have been other posters and campaigns in the 6 years I didn't have a smear test that didn't have enough of an impact on ME to make me go for one - they may have been aimed more at childless women, or older women, or whatever.

But THIS campaign worked for me.

Whether it is too late or not, time will tell.

[BinksToEnlightenment]

I think there are better ways to encourage women to go for smear tests.

I imagine most people don't go because they think it will be a bit of a shit way to spend their afternoon. Why not focus on reassuring women about it?

What about the women who don't have children?

[MerryCouthyMows]

Scared shirtless?!

Scared SHITLESS!!

[MerryCouthyMows]

Binks - what? I lost my father when I was 10yo. It didn't bother me about MY dad - it made me think about MY DC's being without me. Which made me get a smear test done.

So it did the job it was intended to do, surely?

And, again, MAY have saved my life in the process.

It may not have because I was a twat who put off a smear test for 6 years but I'm trying not to think negatively despite being scared shirtless about having been told I have early stage cervical cancer.

[CarpetBagger]

loads of things about cancer but will the doctors listen and respond? in my experience on different things - no.

yes to smears of course - thats all set up with a nurse but if you have any other concerns it can be hard to get them to listen, sometimes i think they need to let the doctors in on thier campaigns.

[BinksToEnlightenment]

No I agree with you OP. I don't like the advert and I think it's unnecessary.

What's wrong with a poster with the facts on it? Or a nice nurse saying 'I won't jam a wrench in there - it'll be two ticks and you can have some valium'?

No need for the crying boy. Horrible thing for anyone who has lost a parent to see too.

[chunkymonkeybaby]

Gazpacho I just can't stand medical treatment of any nature, I'm really phobic of it. I suffer a lot with anxiety so I don't know how I'd cope, I tend to bury my head in the sand where possible...

I know how important it is though an maybe just not even thinking about myself and thinking of DD will force me to do it.

[ArbitraryUsername]

Your HV will help. Talk to her.

[GazpachoSoup]

chunkymonkeybaby It's not so much the test itself but of what they might find
Surely, though, it would be better to find anything early therefore able to blast it into oblivion, than to not know you were ill and to slowly develop symptoms that you only picked up on until too late?.

[chunkymonkeybaby]

I think it's more the worry of what they'll find, and having to go back for more tests or procedures.

Too scared to talk to my GP but the one person I might be able to talk to is my health visitor as she is lovely. I know it's not what HV' s usually help new mums with but I trust her and it might help.