"Well women's" clinic

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 10, 4 August 1987, Page 7

"Well women's" clinic

A well women's clinic is to be held in the Waimarino Community Health Rooms in Raetihi on 17 August and will be concentrating on women's health. Public Health Nurse Leigh Berry said the clinic will be available to all women, for instruction on breast self-examination, cervical smear (Pap smear) clinics. Mrs Berry said women should have a cervical smear test at least every three years. The Pap test, which can be done by the nurse at the local doctor's surgery, accurately detects pre-cancerous change in the cervix, as well as cancer of the cervix. "Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women, after breast cancer", she said. Since breast cancers found early and treated promptly have excellent chances of cure, a woman should learn how to examine her breasts each month, according to Mrs Berry. "The risk of breast cancer increases with age, but it is a good idea to start monthly breast self-exami-

nation by the early twenties," she said. The clinic will be open between 12.30pm in the afternoon and 6.30-7.30pm in the evening.