LIBERTY – January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, and by getting a test called a pap smear, you are taking an important step in determining what your future health would be like.
We spoke with Sullivan County Public Health Director Dr. Jessie Moore about why getting checked is vitally important. “Very rarely are you going to have symptoms until the cancer is already very far along. So we’re looking to catch things early on, when we’re still in that precancerous stage.”
She says getting checked at the age of 21 is recommended, and then get a follow-up every three years unless “You’ve got family history or you have become sexually active at a younger age, there are certain circumstances where a health care provider is going to start doing regular pap smears.”
We asked what causes cervical cancer and what you can do to help prevent it. “Most of the time, pre-cancerous cells and cervical cancer is caused by the HPV or human papillomavirus. We’re also going to encourage you to get the HPV vaccine, because that is something that has been out for many years now, and it will protect you against nine strains of the human papillomavirus.”
The county has teamed up with Sun River Health in Monticello to provide the care you need, even if you don’t have health insurance. Samantha Picolo, a health advisor from the Department of Health, discussed their collaboration. “What they’re looking to do is screen these women on a reduced scale, and then potentially just have them aware of their results,” she said.
If you want to find out more, call the health department at 845-292 5910. Extension 0.
Comments