Women should have pap tests

I had a pap test. This is a test that is done to ascertain whether a woman has cervical cancer. It looks for changes in the cells of the cervix and a small sample of cells from the surface of the cervix is collected and sent to be tested at a laboratory.

It was my second pap test, the first was done many moons ago so I was clearly due.

An assignment at the Cancer Institute of Guyana prompted me to make an immediate appointment to have the test done. January is designated cervical cancer awareness month and the institute, in encouraging women to have the test done, was offering free pap tests for this month as opposed to the $3,500 that is usually charged for this procedure.