News and Stories: PPIN Health Centers Celebrate National Women’s Health Week with Free Pap Days
Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) will celebrate the 12th annual National Women’s Health Week, May 8-14, with Free Pap Days at health centers around the state. The organization is beginning to take appointments for the days. Free Pap Days will be held in Avon, Bloomington, Columbus, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Hammond, Indianapolis - Castleton, Indianapolis – Eastside, Indianapolis – Midtown, Indianapolis – Southside, Lafayette, Madison, Merrillville, Mishawaka, Muncie, Richmond, Terre Haute, Valparaiso and Warsaw. There are a limited number of appointments available.
PPIN holds Free Pap Days annually to highlight the importance of regular Pap tests, which are part of gynecological exams. The Free Pap Days help ensure that cost is not a barrier for women to receive the lifesaving screenings. Pap tests can detect the presence of abnormal cells in the cervix that may become cancer. PPIN is also urging women to become familiar with the Pap test guidelines recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ (ACOG).
ACOG recommends that women delay their first Pap test until age 21. The group also says women between the ages of 21-29 should be screened every two years and women 30 and older who have had three consecutive, normal Pap tests and no history of seriously abnormal findings should be screened every three years.
According to the most recent statistics from the American Cancer Society (ACS), there were an estimated 220 new cervical cancer cases in Indiana in 2009. ACS says about 12,200 new cases of invasive cervical cancer were estimated in the U.S. in 2010 and more than 4,200 women were estimated to die from the disease.
The good news is that when cervical cancer is found and treated early, it can often be cured.
“Approximately six out of 10 women diagnosed with cervical cancer either have never had a Pap test or have not been tested in the past five years,” said PPIN President and CEO Betty Cockrum. “PPIN’s Free Pap Days are an effort to change that statistic and help with early detection. And ongoing, we’re pleased that we’re able to provide 500 Pap tests each and every week at all of our locations.”
There are a limited number of appointments available during Free Pap Days. The following PPIN health centers are offering free Pap tests on select days throughout May:
Monday, May 9
Evansville
Fort Wayne
Hammond
Indianapolis (Eastside)
Madison
Tuesday, May 10
Avon
Bloomington
Columbus
Indianapolis (Castleton)
Indianapolis (Midtown)
Indianapolis (Southside)
Mishawaka
Wednesday, May 11
Valparaiso
Thursday, May 12
Lafayette
Muncie
Warsaw
Friday, May 13
Merrillville
Richmond
Terre Haute
None scheduled
To schedule an appointment at one of the above locations, please go to www.ppin.org/healthcenters/locations.html to obtain the contact information for the PPIN health center nearest you.
