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This week marks National Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, with the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation working to get an important message out.
This year, the key message is "five minutes of your time for five years peace of mind", reminding women to stay up-to-date with their tests and check ups.
The Leeton Medical Centre has been promoting that message this week, with practice nurse and women's wellness nurse Chris Wallace encouraging the shire's women to take the cervical screening test.
"I have been performing cervical screening at the Leeton Medical Centre since early 2016 and am still amazed how many women are either under-screened or never been tested at all," she said.
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"With almost two years since the new screening program began, that should mean that all women have been tested under this new system.
"Unfortunately, that is not the case.
"So, by supporting this week of cervical cancer awareness, we hope to prompt more women to have this vital test."
On Monday, staff at the centre wore orange to support the cause and, throughout the week, have been accepting gold coin donations and selling awareness ribbons.
The cervical screening test is more accurate at detecting Human Papillomavirus (known as HPV).
The pap test used to look for cell changes in the cervix, whereas the screening test looks for HPV, which can lead to cell changes in the cervix.
HPV is a common virus that can cause changes to cells in the cervix, which in rare cases can develop into cervical cancer.
Once a woman has had their first test, they will only need to have one every five years instead of every two, if results are normal.
This is because it takes HPV over 10 years to develop into cervical cancer and cervical cancer is a rare outcome of HPV infection.
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