Arsenal Women have teamed up with MSD UK to launch a campaign raising awareness for cervical cancer.

Leah Williamson and Beth Mead are joined by teammates Katie McCabe, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Manu Zinsberger for ‘Defend Your Tomorrow’, created in collaboration with The Eve Appeal. The campaign aims to support the NHS’ goal of eliminating the disease by 2040 through regular cervical screening and the HPV vaccine.

Mead, whose mother passed from cervical and ovarian cancer in 2023, has spoken openly about the illness, using her platform to raise awareness and promote life-changing research in the past. 

The ‘Defend Your Tomorrow’ campaign will be promoted during the upcoming North London Derby, as more than 50,000 fans head to The Emirates to watch Arsenal Women take on Tottenham Hotspur. Matchday messages and activities at the stadium will encourage fans to visit their GP or head to the campaign’s website for more information.

In addition to matchday promotion, the club will deliver a series of educational sessions across North London over the next 12 months. The focus will be on underserved communities who face the greatest healthcare inequalities and need the most support.

Disparities in access to healthcare and public health information have posed a challenge to the NHS in efforts to eradicate the disease in the next 15 years. With Arsenal not only joining the campaign, but activating within their community to educate and raise awareness on the ground is tremendous and an undertaking that should be celebrated.

For more information on cervical cancer and the campaign, visit the Defend Your Tomorrow website.

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