A series of cancer screening clinics offering Pap tests will be offered in south-eastern Ontario this month, including some locally.
It is estimated that 748 women in Ontario will be diagnosed with cervical cancer this year, and about 160 will die from the disease.
Clinical Services Manager for Hastings Prince Edward Public Health Stephanie McFaul says having regular pap test every three years between ages of 21 and 70 are very important.
A number of local organizations are running pap tests for people who don’t have a family doctor and are overdue for their pap smear.
October 21 to 25 is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Week.
The Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, and Belleville Nurse Practitioner-led Clinic are encouraging people to stay up-to-date with pap tests every three years.
Dr. Hugh Langley of the Cancer Centre says the test takes just 10 minutes and can detect minor easily treatable changes in the cervix, well before any cancer can develop.
Special clinics are being held in Bancroft at the Professional Services Building and Belleville at 15 Victoria Avenue, Unit 2R, on Monday (October 21), Tyendinaga at the Community Wellbeing Centre on October 22, and Napanee at the Napanee Community Health Centre on October 24.
