Profile: Promoting discussions with women about screening

They booked a stall, joining other keen local community stakeholders at the Family Fun Day and Health Expo. The idea was to create an oasis which would allow women to stop for miri miri (a hand massage), a healthy snack and a chat about the sorts of things they did to take care of themselves.

Staff encouraged women to write down their thoughts and feelings about health and screening on paper images of underwear/bras that were then hung up on a clothesline. This gave women the opportunity to share their stories and also to draw attention to the importance of screening and how it affects women.

More than 115 conversations were held and 11 women registered for the programmes. The plan is to hold similar events with the local marae throughout the year.

‘The event really highlighted the benefits of breast and cervical providers working together to care for the women in their communities,’ said Jane Grant, Cervical Screening Nurse Specialist, Waitemata and Auckland DHB. ‘While the breast and cervical programmes are often viewed as two different kaupapa, at the end of the day it’s all about women.’