A BRAVE nurse lecturer from Marlbrook who has been fighting cervical and breast cancer for six months is closing in on her £10,000 fund-raising target for research into the disease.
Claire Flatt, who works at Birmingham City University, received the diagnosis in August last year and has so far collected £9,328 for Cancer Research and Macmillan Cancer Support.
The 34-year-old’s #claireschallenge asked friends and family to take on new challenges with the aim of creating amazing memories and spreading positivity.
The challenges have ranged from cake sales and marathons to ‘go sober’ months and car washes.
Claire’s second aim of encouraging women to get regular checks coincides with Cervical Cancer Prevention Week which has been running this week and concludes on Sunday (January 28).
Claire (pictured) said: “The prevention week is more important than ever as one in three women do not attend their smear test despite 94 per cent of young women saying they would take a free test to protect them against cancer.
“Smear tests prevent 75 per cent of cervical cancers developing and sometimes knowing your body just isn’t enough because I had no symptoms.”
Inspired by the #SmearForSmear campaign, Claire wrote a blog about her her personal experience which she hopes will challenge some of the reasons why young women are putting the important tests off.
“An MRI test showed my cervical cancer was now gone but some of the side effects will stay with me forever.
“It’s not quite time for a celebration for me as I do continue my own battle of also fighting primary breast cancer but if my experience encourages just one woman to book a smear test then it has been worth it.
“Please love yourself enough to book a smear test – it may just save your life”.
Visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/claireschallenge to donate to #claireschallenge.
Also, visit dontgetonthecervicalcancertrain.wordpress.com to read Claire’s blog post.
