A WOMAN with learning disabilities who waited more than 30 years to pluck up the courage to attend her smear test is calling on women to get theirs.

Jackie Bonar was 53 years old when she had her first smear test despite cervical cancer screenings being offered to all Scottish women aged 25 to 49 every three years.

While the uptake for smear tests in Glasgow is staggeringly low, with just 65.4% of those eligible taking up the offer to attend, the uptake for women with learning disabilities is thought to be less than half of that.

The Glasgow Times Don't Fear the Smear campaign has vowed to increase uptake while also calling on the Scottish Government and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to reduce waiting times for results and follow up appointments.

Glasgow Times:

Jackie, from Maryhill, said she skipped the potentially lifesaving appointments due to nerves and struggling to understand the process but, after Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust and leading learning disability charity, Enable, partnered up to offer advice, she finally decided to go along.

She said: “We got to guide the videos and the accessible materials, on everything from the content to the length of the video to the use of graphics. Medical professionals would then make sure the information was all accurate and any tips we offered were manageable by GP surgeries.

“It was great to meet other women in a similar position to me and it’s always nice to come back together as we often meet to update the content as guidance changes.

“The biggest impact was that it also made me feel comfortable enough to book my first smear test. I was still a little nervous, but the nurse was very friendly and talked me through the whole thing, which instantly put me at ease. It was over and done with before I knew it.”

Glasgow Times:

Jackie, now 55, attended awareness sessions and focus groups alongside other women with learning disabilities at her local Enable centre in Bearsden, which highlighted to the two charities the need for better resources to help every woman feel more informed about making a decision around cervical screening.

A small working group was established to create accessible materials and short videos, to break down the barriers women with learning disabilities were experiencing in engaging with cervical screening, and to empower them to have more control over their appointments.

The working group also focused on highlighting these barriers to healthcare professionals.

Jackie added: “I hope that by speaking out, it will make other women who have a learning disability feel more relaxed about going to their appointments.

“If anyone is feeling scared or doesn’t understand the process, I would encourage them to take a family member or friend along or access the support online that Enable and Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust offer.

“I’m really glad that I did it and I know I won’t be nearly as nervous next time. We need to look after ourselves and having a smear test is so important – it could save your life.”