A cancer sufferer from Devon is encouraging other women to take advantage of free smear tests, after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer at the age of just 31.

Statistics show that this type of cancer affects more than 3,000 women in the UK every year. Yet even after the media attention surrounding the death of Big Brother star Jade Goody last year, thousands of women do not take advantage of the national screening programme.

Liz Williams from Okehampton said: "I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2000 when I was only 31. I had absolutely no symptoms and had it not been for a routine smear test, I would not have known until much later when treatment may not have been so successful.

"It all started when my friend was going through the agonising wait for further results following an abnormal smear.

"She's fine now but when she heard that I'd missed my first call, she nagged me until I booked the appointment. When I got a phone call advising that I needed a further test I wasn't too disturbed. But when I then got a phone call from my GP telling me that I needed to be referred to a gynaecological specialist, I knew this was something more serious.

"Is it cancer?, I asked her. After pressing for an answer she did admit that there seemed to be cancer cells present. I was at work when I heard this news and felt numb. I hadn't yet started a family and all I could think about was if this would affect my ability to have children and how to break the news to my family and friends.

"I remember telling my work colleagues and one responded that he had never known anyone to beat cancer, now he tells people that he does know someone who has beaten cancer."

In July 2000, Liz was referred to an Exeter-based gynaecologist, who proposed to operate in two days. But Liz had a history of surgery and had complications, so she travelled to London's St Barts.

Here she was given her options: minimal surgery on the cervix followed by a total hysterectomy and possibly chemotherapy, or an immediate hysterectomy.

"The strange thing was that during all this testing and decision making process, I didn't feel ill at all – there were no outward signs of the tumour and I had no symptoms," said Liz. "It was hard to accept that such a serious condition had taken hold.

"It wasn't easy but I did make that decision to have the hysterectomy.

"Since then I have met my partner who has helped me come to terms with not being able to have children.

"My advice to all women, whatever their age, is to get over the embarrassment of the smear test. It's not nice for any of us — but what's 10 minutes of embarrassment if it could save your life?"

To find out more about smear tests, contact your GP.