Pop-up Pap Test Clinic returns Nov. 1

To fill a gap in London, this clinic will now be held two to three times a year.

London Ontario – In response to tremendous demand, the Colposcopy Clinic at St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s) is building upon its highly successful Pop-up Pap Test Clinic to fill a need in the community. A half-day clinic will now be held two to three times a year, beginning Nov. 1 – no appointment necessary.

A total of nearly 200 women turned out for pap tests during a trial run of first two clinics, surpassing all expectations, surprising the team and revealing a significant gap in care in London. Most of those coming to the clinics did not have a family doctor and almost all patients had missed out on the screening for five to as long as 15 years.

“The purpose of the clinics is to raise awareness of cervical cancer, boost cervical screening rates and provide an important service for people without a family doctor,” says Dr. Robert Di Cecco, Medical Director of the Colposcopy Clinic.

Each year, about 1,550 Canadians are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 400 will die from it. Yet cervical cancer can most often be prevented with regular cervical screening (pap test) and follow-up of abnormal results.

A pap test, also called a pap smear, is an exam used to look for changes in cervical cells that may develop into cancer later. Getting regular pap tests is critical in identifying early changes when they may be easier to treat, and when treatment can prevent cervical cancer from developing,

Event Details:

What: Pop-up Pap Test Clinic 
When: Nov. 1, 2024, from 9 am to 12 pm. No appointment or referral necessary. Drop in. 
Where: Colposcopy Clinic, Zone B, Level 4, Room B4-507 St. Joseph’s Hospital 268 Grosvenor St., London, Ontario 

Must be age 25 and older. Please bring your Ontario health card More information is available on St. Joseph’s website

For More Information:

Dahlia Reich, Communication Consultant
St. Joseph’s Health Care London
519 646-6100 ext. 65294, Cell: 519 619-0971, pager 10117 @email

About St. Joseph’s Health Care London
Renowned for compassionate care, St. Joseph’s Health Care London is a leading academic health care centre in Canada dedicated to helping people live to their fullest by minimizing the effects of injury, disease and disability through excellence in care, teaching and research. Through partnership with Lawson Health Research Institute and our collaborative engagement with other health care and academic partners, St. Joseph’s has become an international leader in the areas of: chronic disease management; medical imaging; specialized mental health care; rehabilitation and specialized geriatrics; and surgery. St. Joseph’s operates through a wide range of hospital, clinic and long-term and community-based settings, including: St. Joseph’s Hospital; Parkwood Institute; Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care; and the Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care. For more information, visit www.sjhc.london.on.ca