Record Staff
On Oct. 3, 4, 6, and 14, cervical cancer screening clinics will be held in Sherbrooke and Cowansville. These clinics are offered at no cost to women by the Obstetrics-Gynecology team of the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS and the team of GMF-U La Pommeraie.
The santeestrie.qc.ca website explains further: “As part of Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, the Obstetrics-Gynecology team of the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS and the team from GMF-U La Pommeraie are offering free Pap smear clinics. This examination allows, among other things, the detection of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is responsible for almost 100 per cent of cervical cancers.
These clinics are for women aged 21 to 65 who do not have access to a Pap smear through a family doctor or gynecologist, who have not had a Pap smear in 2 to 3 years, and who have not undergone a hysterectomy.
“The Pap smear may seem trivial, but it can truly save lives,” Dr. Josianne Paré, obstetrician-gynecologist at the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS explained in a press release about the upcoming clinics. “In recent years, we have seen a steady decline in the incidence rates of this type of cancer. This can probably be attributed to the increased use of the Pap smear for screening precancerous lesions,”
One in 168 women will develop cervical cancer in her lifetime. One in 478 will die from it. Most cases (67 per cent) affect women aged 30 to 59.
To make an appointment, details and registration can be found at santeestrie.qc.ca/cancerducol.
