a451 Search Engine Marketing

23 September 2011

 a451 client Jo’s Trust have been brought in by the popular soap opera EastEnders for background information on Cervical Cancer. Why is this?

One of the main characters from EastEnders, Tanya Jessop, has been diagnosed with Cervical Cancer, a disease which affects many women in the UK. Wanting to portray the disease in a true light the soap turned to the one Charity in the UK which is dedicated specifically to Cervical Cancer.

Jo’s Trust was formed in 2000 by James Maxwell in memory of his wife, Jo Maxwell. Jo suffered from Cervical Cancer after being diagnosed in 1995. At the time there was a real lack of information on the disease. After struggling to find good information about the different aspects of Cervical Cancer it was both James and Jo Maxwell’s hope that one day everyone would have easy access to the best and most up-to-date information and medical advice as well as support for women affected.

Thus, Jo’s Trust came into being in 2000 and to date is providing Information Standards Accredited information on Cervical Cancer, Support for women, friends and family affected and a place for fundraising activities and events to be organised.

Jo Joyner who plays Tanya Jessop's character took part in Celebrity Family Fortunes, winning £10,000 for Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust. The programme was aired on Saturday 10th September with Jo and her family competing against X Factor winner Joe McElderry. So it seems like the EastEnder star is really committed not only to helping highlight the issue of Cervical Cancer but to donate thousands of pounds too!

Back on the show, EastEnders fans saw Tanya Jessop go for a routine smear test. Thinking nothing more of it, she was shocked when she was told that the smear test came back with abnormal results which may contain cancerous cells. She does not tell anyone and proceeds to go for more tests alone, finding out she does have Cervical Cancer. In the Tuesday 20^th September episode she told her daughter Lauren after not being able to handle it anymore on her own.

It will certainly be interesting to see how the storyline progresses. The fact that the soap has gone to such lengths to ensure it is an accurate depiction of Cervical Cancer shows a commitment which has to be admired here at a451!