イギリス在住者はほとんどの医療が無料で受けられます（薬代は別。費用は税金で賄われています）。そして無料で定期的な検診も受けられます。病気が深刻化してから医療費全額負担するより、検診をして予防した方が医療費を削減できるというのが理由かもしれませんが、自分から検診しようという気にはなかなかならないので、ありがたい制度です。UK residents are entitled to have medical treatment and some regular health screening, mostly, free of charge. (The cost is covered by taxation.) It may cost less to pay for checkups than to pay for medical treatment after problems arise. It is a wonderful system as one is normally reluctant to do a checkup of one's own accord.
その検診の一つとして、25～49歳女性は３年に１度、50～64歳女性は５年に１度、子宮頸部チェックがあります。先日、私はその検査で、細胞の異常が発見され、子宮頸がんに発展する可能性があるということで、その部分を除去するという処置を行うことになりました。In the UK, women aged between 25 and 49 are invited for cervical screening tests every three years and women aged between 50 and 64, every five years. My recent checkup showed that there were abnormal cells. Consequently, it was decided to remove them as there was a possibility of them becoming cancerous.
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| 私 Me |
It is said that it normally takes 5-15 years to develop cancer. At that time, we had already booked tickets to go to Japan, so the doctor suggested that I had the treatment after the trip because there would be blood discharge for a month. I went to hospital the day after we returned. The treatment itself took only 30 minutes without pain owing to local anesthesia. Then I was able to go back home straightaway. I was told that there would be blood discharge like having heavy period, however, it wasn't as bad as that in my case. Although the discharge went on for a month, there was no difficulty in daily life otherwise.
日本では子宮頸がん検診は、あまり知られていないし、お金もかかるし、ちょっと恥ずかしいのでなかなか受ける人がいないと思います。私自身もイギリスにいなかったら検診を受けていなかったでしょう。健康だけが取り柄の私が、この若さ（と言いたい）でがんの前兆になるとは・・・。がんって50歳を過ぎてから心配するものじゃなかった？？実は最近、子宮頸がんは20から30代で発症する例が増えてきているようです。
In Japan, the existence of a cervical screening test isn't common knowledge, it isn't free of charge, and one may feel it a bit embarrassing. Accordingly, not many women have it. If I hadn't been in the UK, the thought of having the checkup wouldn't even have occurred to me. I wouldn't have thought I would be in a pre-cancer condition in my youth (I would say I'm still in my youth) as I had confidence in my health. Cancer seemed to me to be something that we should start to worry about in our fifties. As a matter of fact, it is said that the number of women in their twenties or thirties who contract cervical cancer has increased recently.
子宮頸がんは早期には自覚症状がほとんどないそうです。女性の皆さま、ぜひ定期的に検診を受けて下さい。そして男性の皆さまはぜひ大切なパートナーの方に検診をすすめて下さい。
The sickness in its early stages seems to have no obvious symptoms.Thereupon, I strongly recommend the regular checkup to all ladies. Also to all gentlemen, I suggest that you send this message to your precious partner.
