Telling women over the age of 25 that they should have regular checks for cervical cancer, the ad used the image of a gun (no idea what sort, that's out of my area of expertise) being loaded and setting different women, of different ages in the cross hairs.
Of course this is a very important message, but the line used at the end of the add was
"Be nice to yourself, have a cervical smear"
Trust me guys, a cervical smear is so so soooooooo far from being nice as you can possibly get! Years ago I saw Ben Elton do a wonderful stand up routine on the procedure, but the official line goes like this
The smear test is quite simple. A speculum (a metal device used to dilate the vagina so that it can be inspected) is placed in your vagina and cells are skimmed from the surface of the cervix - or, if you've had a total hysterectomy, from the wall of the vagina - then smeared onto a glass slide. It may be uncomfortable but shouldn't be painful and you can have it done by a female nurse if you wish.
Sounds so simple doesn't it!
BUT it needs to be done. It's one of those jobs that most of my expat friends save up for when they go back to their home countries, but where ever you live, please please go for your check up.
Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer in women in the UK after breast and ovarian cancer. If unchecked it can go undetected for months, sometimes years. Of the 3,500 women who get cervical cancer in the UK each year, many have not had regular smear tests. That's why screening the cervix, which is the narrow neck of the uterus that opens into the vagina, is so important. Like most cancers the earlier cervical cancer is diagnosed, the better the chance for a cure.
1 comment:
Just another reason guys are so glad they aren't women. Although from what I gather prostate exams aren't a walk in the park either.
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