Horsham’s Lister House Clinic nurse manager Amanda Wilson and advocate Kylie Stephens started a conversation about regular Pap smear testing during national cancer awareness week. 

Mrs Stephens said many women put off the routine test because they are too busy, scared or embarrassed. She admitted that she put off her regular check-up, but she will never do that again. 

“There was no reason, I was just putting it off like a lot of women do. I guess I was just thinking that my results would be okay,” she said.

“When I was reminded at an unrelated doctor’s appointment that it was time for my Pap test I was like okay let’s do this, but deep down I didn’t want to.” 

Instead of receiving a letter in the mail, she got a phone call. Mrs Stephens’ test results detected abnormal changes, meaning she had the Human Papilloma Virus.

“That’s when it hit me – that it could happen to me,” she said. 

“I was in tears, I thought I had cancer and I was dying. A lot of people are scared when they get their first abnormal, but it is nothing to be scared about.”

The Human Papilloma Virus is graded between one and four. When it moves beyond grade four it turns into stage one cancer.

“I was on the edge, but they detected it before it turned into cancer,” she said. “I always thought it was scary to get a pap smear, but it is a lot scarier to have to go through that.”

Mrs Wilson said Lister House Clinic has organised free Pap smear tests on November 20 between 5pm and 7pm to raise awareness about cervical cancer. She said there are often misconceptions about Pap smear tests that help women put off their regular check up. 

“I think when people start earlier they will stay on it, but it’s the true under screened ones that we are after. Often it’s a cultural reason, or it’s too embarrassing, an age or generational thing. It is varied,” she said. 

Mrs Wilson described the Human Papilloma Virus as a cold or a cold sore. 

“When people get a test back saying they have the virus it mostly goes away in 12-months,” she said. “But, it’s those people where it doesn’t go away that we need to catch.” 

Mrs Wilson said a Pap smear should not make women uncomfortable. She said there should never be any horror stories. 

“If it does hurt then communicate that because it is their body. Say if it’s pinching or uncomfortable so they can stop and move positions,” she said. 

Mrs Wilson said the routine check-up is every five years from 24-years-old. 

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