According to the BC Cancer Agency, about 65 per cent of women diagnosed with squamous cell cervical cancer in B.C. had not had a Pap test in the past three years. This is why Options for Sexual Health will be holding a Pap evening on Tuesday (November 6) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the  Health Unit in Invermere. Two female doctors will be available and no appointment is necessary.

Women are asked to avoid contraception creams or jellies for 48 hours before the exam, and testing is not recommended during menstruation. The appointment will take about ten minutes.

Pap tests are recommended for sexually active women three years after becoming sexually active or over the age of 21, and help prevent cervical cancer by detecting early abnormal cells.Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, and the Pap test is one of the most effective screening tests ever devised.