Four women set themselves up in Collie Central with brochures, information booklets, pens and balloons to hand out information about pap smears last Thursday.

“We are encouraging women from when they’re sexually active until they are 60 to get them every two years,” Lottie Chapman said.

“It takes 10 years for cervical cancer to develop, but doing pap smears every two years can help detect the disease before it gets out of control.”

Regional education officer Wendy Maslin said even if a woman has had a hysterectomy or has been with the same partner for many years, she would still need to have one.

A morning tea was also held at Collie Family Centre on Tuesday, with astrology and numerology and a talk from a local doctor and nurse, who also raised the importance of getting a pap smear every two years.

These events were all part of a campaign this month to encourage South West women to go for cervical cancer screens.

Health Department WA Cervical Cancer Prevention Program manager Gillian Mangan said the program focused on women aged over 50, indigenous women, women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, women in rural areas and women with disabilities.

“63.89 percent of eligible women participate in cervical screening in the South West, which compares favourably with the State rate of 60.97, however there is always scope for improvement given that over 35 percent of eligible women are still not having pap smears every two years,” Ms Mangan said.

“One of the ways we can reduce the incidence and death rate from cervical cancer is to encourage all women who have ever had sex to participate in regular two-yearly pap smears.

“This includes those who have been immunised with the new human papillomavirus vaccine, as the vaccine does not protect against all types of the cancer-causing virus.”

Ms Mangan said the campaign aimed to encourage local health service providers, general practitioners and other health professionals to raise awareness of the importance of regular pap smears and, in turn, empower women to be actively involved in their own health care.