Merseyside Teen Sophie Jones Dies From Cervical Cancer After Being Refused Smear Test

An aspiring model has died from cervical cancer after she was refused a smear test by doctors because of her young age.

Sophie Jones died on Saturday morning after being diagnosed with cancer in November.

For months prior to her diagnosis, the 19-year-old from Eastham, a village in Wirral, had asked doctors for a smear test after suffering severe stomach pains but she had been turned down because of her age.

Doctors told her it was extremely rare for women under 25 to contract Cervical Cancer and said she was suffering from Crohn's disease.

But when her pain worsened and she was admitted to hospital the cancer had spread to other parts of her body.

Now her family and friends have launched an online petition to lower the age limit for cervical cancer testing from 25 to 16.

Family friend Pamela Keelan said she hoped by bringing the issue to Parliament it could help other girls avoid a similar fate.

"Sophie was told she was too young to possibly have the disease, but by the time they diagnosed her it was too late," she said.

"I've got a mind to take it to Downing Street, to David Cameron, and hopefully it will make a difference."

No girls under the age of 20 died from the disease between 2009 and 2011, according to Cancer Research UK. This means Sophie was one of the youngest ever victims of the disease.

Her sister Steph made a public statement about her sibling's death.

She 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.

"This should never, ever have happened to her."

She added: "Sophie said she would fight it all the way to the end. She was still in high spirits even on the morning she died."

The Sophie's Choice online petition has already collected more than 37,000 signatures since it started on Saturday.