Cervical Screening Waikato has set up shop at the Waka Ama Nationals to encourage more wāhine to get their free cervical screening test.
With a great number of paddlers at National Waka Ama Competition at Lake Karāpiro being female, this is a service that continues to raise awareness for this deadly illness.
Nadine Rawiri (Ngāti Porou) says, "Cervical cancer is still very prevalent in New Zealand. We have 150 wāhine that are diagnosed every year and of those 50 will not survive so we need to have our message out there more."
The free screening service is a service that also needs to reach people near and far.
"We need to bring screening more out into the community.
“A lot of our wāhine can't make our clinic hours and things.
“We need to make it more talked about and more in a setting that they can feel more invited to," Rawiri says.
Bringing cervical screening checks to this event allows the community to have access to key information they may not get elsewhere.
"They can just kōrero to us about cervical screening or their hauora or the hauora o te whare tangata and we can engage and talk about. I hope to engage all wāhine as they walk past and tāne and all the whānau.” Rawiri says.
Rawiri says cervical screening is really important for our health.
"It's a screening that can prevent cancer. We also strongly support the “Smear Your Mea” kaupapa in memory of Talei's legacy.
“One of her things in the Smear Your Mea kaupapa was saving lives one kapa at a time.
“Whether that be kapa haka, or kapa waka ama, or nga kapa katoa, I think it's really fitting."
Rawiri explains many wāhine don't go for regular screenings because they are too shy.
"It's a real personal thing that we ask them to do.
“For other reasons as well, some of them might have had a bad experience.
“I just want to say, it’s your appointment.
“Own it, ask questions. Never feel pressured, just make it the most positive thing for you."
The free screening service will be at Lake Karāpiro for the remainder of the week.