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10/21: Need a Pap? Visit a clinic near you during Pap Awareness Week, Oct 24 to 30
From Surrey to Saanich, Vernon to Vanderhoof,
Clinics across BC welcome women for drop-in cervical cancer screening
Vancouver, B.C. − October 24-30 is Pap Awareness Week (PAW), and over 120 medical clinics across B.C. are opening their doors to welcome women for Pap tests. BC Cancer Agency’s LACE Campaign wants women to know that clinics in their neighbourhood are primed and ready to offer easy access to screening during PAW—many with drop-in times, no appointment necessary.
B.C.’s Cervical Cancer Screening Program has successfully reduced the cervical cancer rate by 70 per cent since it began in the 50s; yet, there are still various regions of the province where participation rates are lower than the provincial average.
Pap Awareness Week is a national campaign that aims to increase participation rates through awareness of how, with a simple test, women can prevent cervical cancer. Promotion during the week is grassroots and community driven, with clinics and volunteers encouraging women who may not have participated before to take charge of their health by getting tested. Women learn that by establishing a regular routine of screening, abnormities of the cervix can be identified before they become cancerous, at a stage where they are still highly curable.
“B.C. has always been at the forefront in cervical cancer screening and has been highly successful in reducing rates of cancer,” says Ida Chong, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport. “Early detection is a key component of a successful cancer control program, and we wholeheartedly support this initiative.”
Last year’s Pap Awareness Week in B.C. included 96 partner clinics, and at least 400 women took advantage of the service. Approximately 75 per cent of these women were overdue for a Pap test or were getting their first Pap test.
“A collaborative approach is crucial to the success of this initiative,” says Dr. Dirk van Niekerk, medical leader of the Cervical Cancer Screening Program. “The support of the clinics, along with the LACE campaign volunteers and other stakeholders, provides us with an opportunity to promote the importance of regular screening, while also offering places for women to get tested. It’s a win-win situation.”
The LACE Campaign, which stands for Live Aware Create Empowerment, is promoting the week through social media, community news, and numerous volunteers who are distributing posters and postcards in areas with participating clinics. “For women who may have been putting off getting tested, or who don’t have a family doctor, this is their chance to get their Pap tests,” says Lizzy Karp, Outreach Coordinator for the LACE Campaign. “Go to LACEcampaign.com to find a clinic near you!” she urges.
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The BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, is committed to reducing the incidence of cancer, reducing the mortality from cancer, and improving the quality of life of those living with cancer. It provides a comprehensive cancer control program for the people of British Columbia by working with community partners to deliver a range of oncology services, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, research, education, supportive care, rehabilitation and palliative care. The BC Cancer Foundation raises funds to support research and enhancements to patient care at the BC Cancer Agency. Visit www.bccancer.bc.ca for more information.
Media contact:
Lubna Ekramoddoullah
PHSA Public Affairs
604-675-7459
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