Horrifying last picture of model, 19, killed by cervical cancer

By

Mark Duell

and Harriet Arkell

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This is the shocking last picture of a 19-year-old aspiring model taken before she died of cervical cancer, after being refused a potentially life-saving smear test because she was too young.

Sophie Jones, of Eastham, Merseyside, had suffered crippling stomach pains for over a year before she was initially diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, it was claimed.

But in November, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer – which may have been picked up had the authorities listened to her pleas for a smear test, her family said.

Shocking: Sophie Jones, 19, of Eastham, Merseyside, in hospital, after cancer had taken its toll her body

Modelling shots: Sophie Jones, of Eastham, Merseyside, had suffered crippling stomach pains for over a year before she was initially diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, it was claimed

An online petition set up in her

memory had last night already received more than 200,000 signatures from

people calling for the age that someone can get a smear test to be

lowered to 16.

This means that it is eligible to be debated in the House of Commons after passing the threshold of 100,000 signatures.

Her sister Chelsea said last night: ‘We’re so overwhelmed and touched by the support, it’s just brilliant. It’s what Sophie would have wanted – we’re heading in the right direction and are hoping to set up a meeting with our MP.’

The petition,

named Sophie’s Choice, was set up by family friend Pamela Keelan who

claims ‘our Sophie has been failed in the worst way’.

She

wrote: ‘A friend and amazing young girl, our Sophie has had her life

cut short after experiencing symptoms for over a year and being in

horrendous pain and even asking for a smear.

‘But

because of her age – 19 -  she was refused time and time again and now

she has terminal cervical cancer. Out of loads of doctors, it took that

one to say “We will check you properly”.

Miss Jones was described by her sister, Stephanie, as ‘a very calming influence on everyone around her’

‘The life and soul of everything’: Sophie Jones, 19, has died of cervical cancer after being refused a smear test

‘But

then it was too late. Our Sophie has been failed in the worst way, and I

need 500,000 signatures to be heard, 1million to get this changed

hopefully.’

‘She was just the life and soul of everything, and just lit the place up’

Steph Jones, sister

Sophie was diagnosed with the illness in November and died on Saturday morning.

Her sister Steph said: ‘She was just the life and soul of everything, and just lit the place up.

‘She

was always a very calming influence on everyone around her, and she

loved being with her friends,’ she told the Liverpool Echo. ‘This should

never, ever have happened to her.’

Last Facebook picture: Miss Jones, who posted this photo two weeks ago, died early on Saturday morning

Killer disease: Miss Jones, from Eastham, was admitted to hospital in November after her condition worsened

Cancer

Research UK said cervical screening is very important as it is one of

the few cancers that is preventable due to it being possible to pick up

abnormal cell changes before they have a chance to develop into a

cancer.

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The organisation

notes that cervical cancer is very rare before the age of 25 but that

changes in the cervix are quite common in younger women.

Cancer Research UK said those between 25 and 60 will be contacted by the NHS cervical screening programme for a test.

The exact age groups for screening varies slightly between the different United Kingdom countries.

In

England, Wales and Northern Ireland, women between the ages of 25 and

64 are screened. Screening for those aged between 25 and 49 years old is

every three years and it is every five years for those who are aged

between 50 and 64 years, Cancer Research UK notes.

Model: The teenager had suffered from stomach pains and was initially told she probably had Crohn’s Disease

Miss Jones, pictured with her boyfriend Jake Molyneux, was ‘in high spirits’ the day she died, her sister said

Miss Jones’ family and friends are now calling for younger women to be offered cervical cancer screening

In Scotland, women between 20 and 60 years are invited for screening every three years.

A

Department of Health spokesman, who described this as ‘a very tragic

case’, said: ‘The issue has been debated in Parliament, but the best

independent evidence still shows that routine screening of women under

25 does more harm than good.

‘Our Sophie has been failed in the worst way’

Pamela Keelan, friend

‘Instead we now vaccinate girls with the HPV vaccine which protects against 70 per cent of cervical cancers.

‘Women

with symptoms of cervical cancer, like unusual bleeding, are advised to

see a doctor straight away for tests to investigate their symptoms. We

have given doctors advice on what to do when younger people come to them

with cervical cancer symptoms.’

To view the petition and add your support for the campaign if you wish to do so, click here.

CERVICAL SCREENING PROGRAMME – WHAT IT IS AND WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Screening: The test is currently offered to women aged 25 or over

The NHS offers a free cervical screening test to all women aged 25-64 every three to five years.

It is not a test for cervical cancer, but it identifies early abnormalities which, if left untreated, could develop into cancer of the cervix (neck of the womb).

A sample of cells is taken from the cervix for analysis and sent to a laboratory for analysis.  Those whose cells show abnormalities are called back for further investigation and, if necessary, treatment.

Currently the test is not offered routinely to women aged younger than 25 because cervical cancer is so rare in women that young.  According to Cancer Research UK statistics, not a single woman under the age of 20 died from cervical cancer between 2009-2011.

The lower age of 25 was raised from 20 after the Advisory Committee on Cervical Cancer Screening (ACCS) advised the NHS in 2003 that cervical screening in younger women did more harm than good.

The committee advised that cell abnormalities in younger women normally went away of their own accord, and said that sending young women for further tests and treatment increased the likelihood of the woman having pre-term delivery if she went on to have children, and could cause significant anxiety.

Many other countries offer cervical screening from the age of 25, including Italy, France, Belgium and Ireland.  In Scotland, women are invited to be checked from the age of 20, though it is due to go up to 25 next year.  In Australia women are invited from 18, Greece from 20, and in the US two years after women become sexually active.

Meanwhile, other countries start cervical screening later.  Both the Netherlands and Finland offer screening to women only once they are 30, and these two countries boast some of the lowest mortality rates for cervical cancer in Europe, and in Bulgaria it is for women over 31.

Comments (24)

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The comments below have been moderated in advance.

jennifer,

romford,

40 minutes ago

RIP – I don’t agree with lowering the age for routine smear tests BUT if you request one it should be given regardless of age – NO-ONE knows your body better than you, if you say something is wrong the doctors should listen!

Beckeroo,

Bicester, United Kingdom,

45 minutes ago

What a waste of life, clearly lots to live for and loved by many. God bless

dontlikeit,

south east, United Kingdom,

47 minutes ago

They won’t lower the age, younger women will have to pay privately, not right but would be worth it.

Elisa Bramante,

Perugia,

47 minutes ago

I’m enraged by this sad and needless loss of life and many others which are reported in the DM. This is Cameron’s legacy. He has singularly failed to improve the NHS

blueym62,

manchester, United Kingdom,

48 minutes ago

Its such a shame what happened to this poor girl, I along with many others have signed the petition to help raise the awareness and get the age restriction lowered, I can only imagine how this girls family feel.. Take a moment of you’re time and sign it yourself! This girl didn’t need to or deserve that. R.I.P and be an angel in the sky.

Alice,

Midlands, United Kingdom,

53 minutes ago

I went to my GP with stomach cramps and the first thing my doctor did was give me a smear test. I dont understand why she wasnt afforded the same?? They should be COMPULSORY for all women over 18 in my opinion. If the nhs can afford boob jobs and to give free treatment to every tom richard and Harry who stroll into this country then they can afford this!!

HappyChappy,

Bongo, Congo,

1 hour ago

I needed a smear test because of changes that were happening. Went to my doctors to ask could me test be brought forward by 6 months and was told several times NO!!!! I told them they conradict themselves and was basically told blame jade goody. I was totally disgusted. Fortunately I found a private clinic that did them for about £60 and it came back normal but I no longer trust my doctors

bev,

Upminster, United Kingdom,

1 hour ago

I’ve signed for the sake of our daughters. A routine smear when I was 23 revealed pre-cancerous changes of the cervix. Two rounds of laser treatment destroyed these abnormal cells. This was 27 years ago.

Smears need to be available for ALL sexually active young women.

Penelope,

Australia,

1 hour ago

Smear tests in Australia are recommended for all women over 18 years and/or sexually active. They save lives so why you guys don’t have them is beyond me.

we_are_all_doomed,

London, Algeria,

1 hour ago

The Government and the NHS who are the only legalised murderers in the UK, have this young ladies death firmly at there feet. I hold them 100% responsible and they all need to take a look at themselves in the mirror and think what if I had a daughter. Shocking

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Horrifying last picture of model, 19, killed by cervical cancer