Pap Smears Are Magical

Education and awareness are wonderful things.  I think it’s great that Kathy Griffin is raising cervical cancer awareness by getting a pool side Pap smear on her show, “My Life on the D-List,” but I’ve often wondered just how far awareness can go in saving lives when we’re talking about a test that requires not just initiative, but money (or rather, health insurance). Here’s the thing: telling women how important Pap smears are in fighting cervical cancer is all well and good.  Demystifying the test for some women is even better.  But, what about getting all women into the gyno’s office and paying for that test?   

I’ve been a little obsessed recently with how to pay for things that I used to take for granted. This is because, despite being armed with a master’s degree and a cushy middle class background, I’ve been unemployed since completing the grad program. Out of all the things I used to take for granted; happy hours with frozen margaritas, premium cable, and shoe shopping as a way to destress; the thing I miss the most  is the once a year visit to the gynecologist mostly paid for by insurance. Freelancing is great (and I love working from home), but it does not come with health benefits. I’m sure there are plenty of other American women in the same situation: women who know how important it is to get screened for cancers, but can’t pay for it.

Awareness is the first step, but making it feasible to get women into those stirrups is imperative. I was doing some research on cervical cancer statistics and I came across this interesting tidbit from Cervical Cancer.org:  since 1989 the United Kingdom has provided free Pap tests to all women aged 25 to 64.  I know that all that socialist mumbo jumbo would surely destroy America, but geez, that’s how you save lives.