Smear awareness success
‘‘The last time I had a smear was when I had my youngest child,’’ Mary Thompson, 51, said. ‘‘He’s now 26.’’
Thompson was one of the 200 women who came through the doors at Ha¯ wera’s Nga¯ ti Ruanui Healthcare for a smear during September - National Cervical Screening Month.
‘‘Why did it take too long? I think in my generation it became this real self-conscious thing,’’ Thompson said. ’’The longer it went by I got whakama¯ - what we call shy.’’
As the years went by nurses asked Thompson to have a cervical smear - a cervix screening that women are meant to get every three years to check cells and potentially prevent cervical cancer.
She avoided the procedure for 24 years, until she decided to ‘‘change her mentality’’ for her and her family’s well being.
‘‘It’s about not feeling shy,’’ Thompson said. ‘‘Whether it be your partner, or whether it be your children, you have to keep them alive.’’
Leisa Betts a registered clinic nurse at Nga¯ ti Ruanui Healthcare said the clinic worked hard during National Cervical Screening Month to get ladies in who may be avoiding or frightened of getting a smear - ‘‘we just put everything into it.’’
She said more than 200 women came in for smears in the month of September, and close-to-70 ladies came into their two night clinics.
Thompson thanked the nurse Betts - who approached her many times and encouraged her to come along for a smear
‘‘She gave me so much respect,’’ Thompson said. ’’After it I was like ‘what are you worried about?’’’
Betts said when Thompson agreed to get a smear done, she was over the moon.
‘‘She said ‘I want to make some changes in my life’ I honestly had tears when she left, and I have gooseys just thinking that she can trust someone so much,’’ Betts said.
The cervical screening awareness won’t stop now that the month is over - Betts said smears were the priority.
‘‘If ladies walk in and it’s busy, we’ll do it,’’ she said. ‘‘We’ll fit you in where it suits you.’’
Many local businesses also came on board and donated spot prizes for the women who got a smear during awareness month.