Mary How Trust for Cancer Prevention

19/01/2026

🩺 Cervical Cancer Prevention: What Everyone Should Know

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers—and knowledge is the first step toward protection.

🔍 What causes cervical cancer?
Most cases are caused by long-term infection with certain types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a very common virus transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.

✅ How can cervical cancer be prevented?

1️⃣ Get the HPV vaccine

Recommended for girls and boys (usually starting at ages 9–14)

Protects against the most common cancer-causing HPV types

Can still benefit young adults who haven’t been vaccinated

2️⃣ Attend your smear tests
Smear test detect HPV

3️⃣ Practice safer sexual health
Use condoms to reduce HPV transmission

4️⃣ Avoid smoking
Smoking weakens the immune system, making it harder to clear HPV infections

🌸 Why screening matters
Cervical cancer often has no early symptoms. Regular screening can detect changes early—when treatment is most effective.

18/01/2026

Did you know you can now borrow a blood pressure monitor from your local library? ❤️📚

All 36 public libraries in West Sussex are offering free blood pressure monitor loan kits for adults, helping people check their blood pressure at home and spot potential problems early.

Each kit includes:
✔️ A blood pressure monitor
✔️ Easy instructions
✔️ A diary to record your readings

If your readings are outside the normal range, the kit advises you to contact your GP.

This scheme, delivered by West Sussex County Council in partnership with NHS Sussex, follows successful pilots in Crawley, Bognor Regis and Goring-by-Sea and aims to help more people know their numbers and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

👉 Visit your local library to find out more.

17/01/2026

Visit our Health Resources Library for evidence-based information, educational materials, and resources designed to support better health outcomes. Whatever you are looking for, we’ve got some great materials for you!

Perhaps your nurse suggested reading up on Osteoporosis, or you want to find out more about lowering your blood pressure? Whatever you are looking for, we’ve got some great materials for you.

16/01/2026

Join the Fun at the Mary How Trust Quingo Night
Get ready for an unforgettable evening of brain-teasing questions and bingo excitement at the Mary How Trust’s next Quingo Night. A fantastic mix of quiz and bingo.

Hosted by Doug Brown – AKA The Inn-Quizzator, this is your chance to test your knowledge, enjoy a laugh with friends, and support a great cause. Whether you’re a trivia whizz or a bingo lover, Quingo promises something for everyone!

Key Details:

📍 Venue: West Chiltington Village Hall

🕖 Doors open: 7:00pm

❓ Quingo starts: 7:30pm

👥 Team size: 4–8 people

🧺 Bring your own drinks and snacks

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Martin Lundy-Lester, teams will be playing for some brilliant cash prizes:

💷 £20 to the first team to complete a line
💷 £100 to the overall winning team/house
There will also be a raffle with fabulous prizes, so don’t forget to bring a few extra pounds for tickets!

Gather your smartest (or luckiest!) friends and book your tickets early.

All proceeds support the Mary How Trust’s life-saving health screenings, helping us to detect early signs of serious illness and promote better health in our community.
Tickets available at Nisa West Chiltington, Mary How Trust Shop & Clinic & Online at Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/quingo-tickets-1977506814114?aff=oddtdtcreator

15/01/2026

Will you consider pledging a gift in your Will and touching the lives of future generations?

https://maryhowtrust.org/leave-a-gift-in-your-will/

14/01/2026

10 stretches to improve your flexibility 🧘‍♀️

Ever find yourself feeling stiff, or struggling with everyday tasks? Improving your flexibility could be the key to moving more easily. Exercise specialist Andrew Scard shows us 10 of the best stretches to do at home: https://www.bhf.org.uk/.../activity/stretching-exercises

13/01/2026

Are you in the process of decluttering your home and wondering what to do with all the items you no longer need? Why not donate them to our charity shop! 👕👖👠🧩⏰

By donating your unwanted goods, you can help us raise funds to support our vital health screening service. Your donations could go a long way in making a difference in someone's life.

We accept most items, including:
Clothes
Jewellery
Shoes & Handbags
Bric a Brac
Books
Pictures
Games & Puzzles

Don't forget to gift aid your items too to make your gifts go even further 💙

See less

12/01/2026

📊 Understanding Your Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps it around your body. It’s written as two numbers — for example, 120/80 mmHg — and both numbers tell us important information about heart health.

🩺 What the Numbers Mean:
• Systolic (top number): Pressure when the heart beats.

• Diastolic (bottom number): Pressure when the heart rests between beats.

A normal reading for most adults is less than 120/80 mmHg. Higher readings may signal elevated blood pressure or hypertension (high blood pressure), which can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke over time.

💡 Did You Know?
• High blood pressure often has no symptoms, so many people don’t realise they have it — which is why regular checks are vital.

• Blood pressure can rise with age, stress, diet, weight, and activity level — but knowing your numbers is the first step to managing your health.

📅 Take Action:
Make a plan to get your blood pressure checked regularly. Whether it’s at a GP visit, pharmacy, screening event, or through Mary How Trust’s preventative health services, knowing your readings can help protect your long-term health.

11/01/2026

🌿 Wellness Month at Mary How Trust 🌿

This Wellness Month, Mary How Trust is highlighting the importance of prioritising your physical, and emotional wellbeing. True wellness comes from awareness, support, and taking proactive steps for your health.

We encourage everyone to take a moment for self-care — and an important step is getting screened. Early detection can make a real difference, and support is always available.

Visit our website today to learn more about screenings, access resources, and take the first step toward a healthier, happier you.

https://maryhowtrust.org/apply-for-a-health-screening/

10/01/2026

You know we are called the Mary How Trust, but do you know why?
We simply wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Mary How, who died at the early age of 46 from bowel cancer. Bowel cancer is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. However this drops significantly as the disease develops. Early detection could have saved Mary’s life.
Mary’s son, Jeremy, explains that “on the night my mother died her GP and my father founded The Mary How Trust, an organisation they hoped would allow the early detection of malignant and other diseases”.
We’re passionate about screening as many people as possible and catching illness at the most treatable stages and have been here to help ever since. 💙

09/01/2026

https://maryhowtrust.org/apply-for-a-health-screening/