City smear test appeal.

COVENTRY health chiefs are urging more women to take smear tests.

The number of women being screened for cervical cancer leaped earlier this year after 27-year-old reality TV star Jade Goody lost her public battle with the illness.

But there are still fewer women in Coventry taking the test than elsewhere in the UK.

All women aged 25-64 years-old are invited for a smear test every three to five years..

Only three-quarters of Coventry women attend their appointments, well below the national 80 per cent target, and uptake is particularly poor among 25 to 34-year-olds.

Berni Lee, public health lead for cervical screening at NHS Coventry, urged women not to overlook the valuable health checks.

"Cervical screening is very important, because we can stop cervical cancer from developing in the first place," she said.

"This is one of the few cancers that is preventable because pre-cancerous cell changes can be picked up before they have a chance to develop into a full blown cancer.

"Cancer of the cervix is relatively rare, and the number of new cases has been decreasing, but it is still an illness that can and does kill women in the UK every year.

"That is why we are urging any women who have a screening invitation drop through their letterbox to make time to attend the appointment." Every year 2,800 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and it is the second most common cancer in women under 35 years old.

Women going for smear tests in Coventry can visit their local GP practice or one of the clinics provided by the Contraception and Sexual Health service (Cash).

For more details, call your GP surgery or the Cash service on 024 7684 4105..