Cat Russell, 33, was diagnosed with cervical cancer at 26 despite receiving the HPV vaccine and is campaigning to lower the UK cervical screening start age from 25 to 21. Russell says an earlier test might have reduced the long-term consequences of her treatment, which included partial removal of her cervix and a procedure affecting future natural childbirth. Health authorities argue that cancer is rare under 25 and that screening younger people risks many unnecessary procedures; modeling suggests lowering the age to 20 would prevent only a small number of cancers while generating thousands of extra referrals.
‘Why Not 21?’ Cervical Cancer Survivor Urges UK To Lower Screening Age After Diagnosis At 26
Cathryn Russell would like to see the cervical cancer screening age lowered after being diagnosed at the age of 26 [Cathryn Russell]
Cat Russell, 33, from Telford is calling for the UK to lower the starting age for routine cervical screening after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer at 26 — nine years after receiving the HPV vaccine as a teenager and one year after postponing her first smear test.
Under current NHS guidance in England, people are invited for cervical screening from age 25 to 64. Invitations are typically every three years for those aged 25–49 and every five years for those aged 50–64. Russell questions whether an earlier screening age — as used in countries such as Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic — might have detected her cancer sooner.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't go for my smear test," Russell said. "The eligible testing age is 25. Why can't it be 21? Some countries have changed the age, but not us in the UK."
Russell supports a petition begun by another survivor she met through a TikTok group. She believes an earlier test could have reduced the lifelong consequences of her treatment. Before her 2019 diagnosis she had experienced long-term irregular periods but no other clear symptoms.
As part of her treatment she had a large portion of her cervix removed and a stitch placed between her cervix and womb, a procedure that has been reported to make natural childbirth unlikely. She was later diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which has affected her weight management and insulin control. Russell is monitored every six months by Wolverhampton NHS Trust and currently tests negative for high-risk strains of HPV.
The cancer survivor is passionate about encouraging women to book a smear test [Cathryn Russell]
"I'd like to have children. If it happens it happens. I've got my health and I'm here," Russell said.
Health bodies say screening younger people can cause more harm than benefit because cervical abnormalities are often transient in younger women and many resolve without treatment. Cancer Research UK pointed to a 2014 analysis estimating that lowering the screening age to 20 would prevent only three to nine cancers per 100,000 women while creating around 8,000 additional, potentially unnecessary referrals.
There are around 3,299 new cases of cervical cancer in the UK each year, according to Cancer Research UK. About 99% of cervical cancers are linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV), which spreads through close skin-to-skin contact. Recent research published this week also reported that people who received the HPV vaccine at ages 12–13 have a "close to zero" risk of dying from cervical cancer.
Russell recalled an allergic reaction to her vaccine at the time, saying both arms swelled. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) notes that vaccine side effects are usually mild — soreness, swelling and redness at the injection site are common and typically settle within a couple of days — and that millions of doses given worldwide show the vaccine to be very safe.
Russell continues to urge women to book their smear tests. "Ok, it's not the nicest of things… but it's literally five minutes of feeling uncomfortable. It's that five minutes of finding out if you're going to be OK," she said. The BBC has contacted the UK Health Security Agency for comment.
Quick Facts: Cervical screening invitations generally start at 25 in the UK; vaccination dramatically reduces risk of cervical cancer death; screening policy balances early detection against the risk of over-treatment in younger people.
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