On 23 January Kenneth co-hosted a reception for Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust in the Scottish Parliament, together with Monica Lennon MSP.
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust is the UK’s leading cervical cancer charity and celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
The trust works to raise awareness of cervical cancer, which killed 80 Scottish women in 2018, and to increase the uptake of cervical smears and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination uptake.
Kenneth said:
“At present, 73.1% of women aged 25-64 are screened in Scotland, 74.8% here in Ayrshire and Arran.
“The uptake of the HPV vaccine is 85.4% in Scotland but only 76.5% in Ayrshire and Arran, the lowest rate in Scotland. The HPV vaccine protects against 70% of cervical cancers. From September 2019 it has routinely been offered to boys and girls in first year of secondary school, with a second dose 6-12 months later.
“Screening and vaccination saves an estimate 40 lives in Scotland each year and so I will continue to press the health board to increase uptake locally and urge any woman who does not go for screening to do so.”
Pictured with Kenneth is the Trust's Chief Executive Robert Music.
For more information, go to www.jostrust.org.uk .
ENDS
