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	For Immediate Release July 17, 2009	Contact: Felicia Phillips 215-967-4580
	Health Partners Members Got Pap? Health Partners Members Got Pap? Community Testing Event Supports Cancer Death Decline Philadelphia, PA –Health Partners hosted its Got Pap? event last Saturday, July 11 to educate Health Partners’ female members about the role that annual Pap tests play in cervical cancer prevention and to encourage them have a Pap test annually. During the half-day event at Julia de Burgos Elementary School in North Philadelphia, Health Partners members received free blood pressure screenings and soothing chair massages, and listened to an informative presentation on cervical cancer by Sophia Govorov, physician assistant, Maris de los Santos Health Center. Health Partners members who provided proof of a Pap test within the past year also received a $50 gift card and a limited edition, Health Partners Got Pap? T-shirt. Thanks to increased Pap testing and education on cervical cancer prevention, cervical cancer deaths, formerly among the most common causes of cancer death among American women, are now on the decline (nearly 4% each year). “The decreased percentage in fatalities is very encouraging,” says Merleen Harris-Williams, MD, medical director at Health Partners. “But women must not forget that the reason for the decline is early detection. We need to stay on top of the disease by scheduling regular Pap exams and encouraging our female friends and family members to do the same.” According to the American Cancer Society, a little over 4,000 women in the United States, most of whom will be Hispanic and African American and between the ages of 30 and 50 will die from cervical cancer in 2009. Cervical cancer is caused by exposure to human papillomavirus (HPV) during sexual contact. In most cases, HPV does not lead to serious complications and the virus eventually goes away on its own. But in some cases, abnormal cells develop along the lining of the cervix (the narrow passageway between the uterus and vagina). If undetected and left untreated, these cells can become cancerous. Thankfully, when found at an early stage, they can be successfully treated. Pap Test Tips • All women should have a Pap test starting by age 21 or three years after beginning a sexual relationship. • For the best results, tests should be done 10 to 20 days after the first day of your last period and never during your period. • For two days before the test, avoid using any kind of vaginal douche, cream, foam or medicine. • For the most accurate results, avoid having sex for 24 hours before the test. If it has been a while since your last Pap test, schedule an appointment with your doctor today! Photo: Health Partners member Olga Gomalez is pictured here with her family as she dons her new, limited edition Health Partners Got Pap? T-shirt. Olga was one of over 40 other women who received the T-shirt and a $50 gift card for going to the doctor for an annual Pap test at Health Partners’ Got Pap? event at Julia de Burgos Elementary School last Saturday. (Photography: K.S.N. Images) About Health Partners: Health Partners is the result of a unique collaboration among seven area hospitals to create a not-for-profit health plan for residents of Philadelphia. Since 1985, the company has advanced innovations in managed care. It currently serves 152,000 members in southeastern Pennsylvania and consistently ranks number one in member satisfaction in the area. For more information about Health Partners, please visit www.healthpart.com. ###

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