LITTLE Joshua Tatlock is a happy, smiling toddler.

And he is perfect proof of the benefits of cancer screening.

After being diagnosed with cervical cancer, a young Huddersfield mum thought her chances of having another child were over.

But after asking surgeons to save her womb, Joanna Tatlock is now the proud mum of a second son.

Following the birth of her first son Jacob in 2007, the 30-year-old woman was given a post-birth smear test.

Her results showed that she was suffering from an aggressive form of cervical cancer.

After more tests at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Joanna was sent to St James’s Hospital in Leeds.

Doctors feared that a full hysterectomy would be the only option of removing her cancer.

As she had always dreamed of having a bigger family, she pleaded with surgeons not to perform it – if it was medically possible.

They agreed and 18 months ago, Joanna welcomed the arrival of her second son Joshua.

He was born by emergency caesarean following a complicated pregnancy due to Joanna’s illness.

But she also got the all-clear from doctors and is no longer living with the disease.

She said: “I talked it all through and weighed everything up with my husband Daniel and we took the decision that, if possible, we wanted the chance to have another child.

“We are now very, very happy and very proud to have our two sons.

“That smear test saved my life.

“It means I am now a mum-of-two with a lovely family and everything to live for.

“It is a few minutes which could make all the difference.

“I owe my future to it and, of course, all the care which followed at HRI and in Leeds.”