The charity does vital work in raising awareness of the importance of cervical screening and HPV vaccinations - and it’s saving lives.

The legacy of a much-missed 25-year-old who died from cervical cancer lives on in the vital charity work done in her name.

From left: Caroline Smith - Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Darren Cliff - Amber's Legacy and Rachel Adderley - Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust as they collect a runners up award for partnership working | Submitted

placeholder image — From left: Caroline Smith - Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Darren Cliff - Amber's Legacy and Rachel Adderley - Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust as they collect a runners up award for partnership working | Submitted

Amber Rose Cliff, from Ashbrooke, repeatedly asked her GP for a smear test - which detects the presence of HPV and cells which could potentially become cancerous - after experiencing symptoms.

But, aged just 22 at the time, three years below the NHS cervical screening age of 25, her repeated requests were denied.

Amber sought private medical help, which diagnosed her with stage 2 cervical cancer. Despite gruelling cancer treatment, the popular Gentoo worker died four years later in January 2017 aged just 25.

Amber Rose Cliff, who went to Thornhill School and Bede College, died in 2017. | Submitted

Her devastated and devoted family channeled their grief to set up Amber’s Legacy, a charity which does life-saving work to raise awareness of the importance of regular screening and to encourage open conversations about cervical cancer and human papilloma virus (HPV), strains of which cause almost all cervical cancers.

Over the years, Amber’s Legacy has inspired countless fundraising across Sunderland and beyond and led important campaigns, encouraging more women to attend their cervical screening, commonly known as a smear test.

The charity’s most recent partnership saw them working alongside the School Age Immunisation Team at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust who deliver the HPV vaccination programme to young people across the North East.

Kelley Neal, one of the Amber’s Legacy volunteers, said: “The HPV vaccine reduces cervical cancer rates by up to 87% and drops mortality risks to near zero when vaccinated at ages 12 to 13.

“Zero cervical cancer deaths were recorded among women aged 20–24 in England between 2020 and 2024, saving an estimated 200 lives.”

Amber Rose Cliff's story has prompted women across the world to go for their cervical check. | Submitted

So important is the partnership that it was recently shortlisted in the prestigious Picker Experience Network Awards (PEN), a national awards which recognises inspiring projects, people and teams making an incredible difference to experiences across the health and social care sector.

A team from Amber’s Legacy, including Amber’s dad, Darren Cliff, attended the awards in Birmingham and were named as runners up.

As part of the partnership, Caroline Smith from Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, compiled a presentation called A Legacy for Amber, which has been displayed at the Houses of Parliament as well as regional hospitals.

Part of the presentation features the names of women whose lives have been claimed by cervical cancer.

Darren said: “We’re very proud of what our little charity has achieved and the traction and feedback we get from so many individuals and organisations.”

*You can find out more about Amber’s Legacy and its vital work at www.amberslegacy.com