A MUM has made an impassioned plea for women to visit their GP for a routine test, after her daughter was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

Joanne Crawley shared the heartbreaking news that her daughter had been diagnosed with disease on social media, and described how her daughter had “shouted down the phone” at her when she admitted that she had neglected to have her own routine cervical smear.

Devastatingly, after having been prompted to have the test at her doctors' surgery, Joanne's test results have also come back showing an abnormal result.

“Eight months ago I received a letter for cervical screening - the dreaded smear test” Joanne explained.

“I suppose looking back I thought I didn’t have enough time, and I put it in a drawer.

“It wasn’t until I received a phone call from my daughter in America telling me that she had cervical cancer that I realised how important that letter is.”

Although Joanne’s daughter is undergoing treatment, as she lives in America she is having to pay for her medical costs .

“She told me about the treatment she is paying for that hopefully will save her life,” Joanne said, and in an extraordinary act of openness the Lechlade woman explained how her daughter had become very angry when she told her that she had put off her own test.

“I admitted to her that I hadn’t got round to booking mine and I can still hear her shouting at me ‘WHY NOT?’”

The Lechlade mum immediately phoned her local GP surgery to make an appointment.

Shocking figures released by a charity which works to prevent cervical cancer show that two women die every day from the disease, and 9 women are diagnosed every day.

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust also says that 75 per cent of those deaths can be prevented through regular screening but the same figures show that one in three women don’t attend cervical screening because of ‘embarrassment’.

Robert Music, chief executive of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said: “Smear tests prevent 75% of cervical cancers, so it is a big worry that so many young women, those who are most at risk of the disease, are unaware of the importance of attending. It is of further concern that body worries are contributing to non-attendance.

“Please don’t let unhappiness or uncertainty about your body stop you from attending what could be a life-saving test. Nurses are professionals who carry out millions of tests every year – they can play a big part in ensuring women are comfortable,” he added.

Mum Joanne explained that it was not discomfort that had led her to ignore the letter.

“For me it wasn’t the discomfort that prevented me from having the test - it was the time,” the distraught mum said.

“The lovely nurse didn’t give a damn that I had odd socks on and hadn’t shaved my legs - she was happy I was there to attend a life saving procedure. One that in this country is free."

And in a tragic update, Joanne is now undergoing further medical tests after her smear results showed abnormal cells.

"My smear has came back 'abnormal' and I am now waiting for the results of a biopsy - it's going to be a long two week wait," she said.

Next week, January 21 - 27, is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week and Joanne has a message that she would like to share with our readers.

"Please, please, please make that appointment a priority," she begs.

"Mums, dads, brothers, sisters, partners, please all of you let your loved ones know just how important this simple test is.

"Cut the embarrassment and stigma, don’t be a fool like me and put that letter in a drawer."

l Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust is the only UK charity dedicated to women, their families and friends affected by cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities, to find out more visit jostrust.org.uk