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REAL REASONS FROM REAL MAINE PEOPLE

If you've been putting off scheduling a Pap test, you've probably got a reason. So did the real Maine women featured here. But if you watch their videos or read their stories, we think you'll agree that there are many more good reasons to get screened—most importantly, it can save your life!

LISA'S STORY

I’m here to talk about how important a program like this is, for people just like me. There is a lot of cancer in my family. My mother had uterine cancer. She had part of her colon removed. She died from uterine cancer. My father died from lung cancer. My sister has had breast cancer. Some of my family members felt healthy before they found out they had cancer.

My mother died when she was seventy. Actually, she was 72. My father died when he was seventy. I know that my mother’s story would have been different had she had the proper screening. I can’t tell you the last time I had a pap test.

It’s been years. It’s been years because I didn’t have insurance, I was unemployed for a while and I thought – I’ll just do it next month, when I have the money, or the month after that. And I kept putting it off. I’m smart. I know better than that. And I still put it off and put it off. I called. I made the appointment. I had the screening. I’m fine. I have peace of mind.

I would recommend this to everyone I know.

NANCE'S STORY

Many years ago in my profession I did a lot of traveling. During the time I was traveling I skipped one year when I didn’t go for my pap test. When I did finally go, the doctor advised me I had abnormal cells which lead to several procedures ultimately leading up to a hysterectomy in the long run, after being diagnosed with cervical cancer.

It’s quite an interesting ride when you are told you have cancer and you go through a ton of emotions, from being horrified that someone would say to you ‘you have cancer’—you look at him in disbelief; and to crying and being sad; to then turning around and being positive and saying ‘I’m going to get this thing no matter what it takes.’

I had a hysterectomy but ultimately I had an amazing second chance at life which I am so grateful for. At this point in time, I am 33 years cancer- free!

Schedule them, don’t put them off, don’t forget them, put them in your book or wherever you put them and make sure you always have your Pap test. It’s very important. It saved my life.