Tuesday, October 29, 2024
St Joseph's Health Care London
Pop-up Pap Test Clinic Returns November 1
To fill a gap in London, this clinic will now be held two to three times a year.
In response to tremendous demand, the Colposcopy Clinic at St Joseph’s Health Care London (St Joseph’s) is building upon its highly successful Pop-up Pap Test Clinic to fill a need in the community. A half-day clinic will now be held two to three times a year, beginning November 1 – no appointment necessary.
A total of nearly 200 women turned out for pap tests during a trial run of the first two clinics, surpassing all expectations, surprising the team and revealing a significant gap in care in London. Most of those coming to the clinics did not have a family doctor and almost all patients had missed out on the screening for five to as long as 15 years.
“The purpose of the clinics is to raise awareness of cervical cancer, boost cervical screening rates and provide an important service for people without a family doctor,” says Dr. Robert Di Cecco, Medical Director of the Colposcopy Clinic.
Each year, about 1,550 Canadians are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 400 will die from it. Yet cervical cancer can most often be prevented with regular cervical screening (pap test) and follow-up of abnormal results.
A pap test, also called a pap smear, is an exam used to look for changes in cervical cells that may develop into cancer later. Getting regular pap tests is critical in identifying early changes when they may be easier to treat, and when treatment can prevent cervical cancer from developing.
Event Details:
What: Pop-up Pap Test Clinic
When: Nov. 1, 2024, from 9 am to 12 pm. No appointment or referral necessary. Drop in.
Where: Colposcopy Clinic, Zone B, Level 4, Room B4-507, St Joseph’s Hospital, 268 Grosvenor St, London ON
Must be age 25 and older. Please bring your Ontario health card.
More information is available on the St Joseph’s website.
For more information:
Dahlia Reich, Communication Consultant
St. Joseph’s Health Care London
519 646-6100 ext 65294 | Cell: 519 619-0971, pager 10117
dahlia.reich@sjhc.london.on.ca
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