Hey, Let’s Catch up!

You might be wondering why I called this hui.

(Tamsin laughs)

We're having a cervical screening pub quiz.

Ah.

What is this?

Fallopian tube.
Correct.

(Tamsin laughs)

Francesca, what is this?

Ovary.

Correct.

What is this?

Uterus.

Correct.

Tanya.

The cervix.

Correct. (Tamsin claps)

And who can answer what this thing is?

Yell it out.

Vagina.

Vagina.

Get your buzzers ready.

Buzz.

Roar.

Chicken.

Okay.

What is that?

(Tamsin laughs)

What is the age range who should get a cervical screening?

Roar.

Between 25 and 69.

Correct.

(Tamsin cheers)

How regularly should you go?

Buzz.

Every three years.

You're fantastic. Yes.

Who should have cervical screens?

Those who have been through menopause?

They're still having sex?

Hopefully.

(all laugh)

If you have had a hysterectomy?

What's a hysterectomy?

I'm gonna go, yes.

That's when your uterus is removed.

Okay.

Those who are no longer having sex?

I thought that you could only get it through having sex.

Am I wrong?
But what if you have had sex and then stopped having sex?

It can grow over time.

You see, I didn't think about it like that.

(Tamsin and Tanya laugh)

So, you're 24?
Yeah.

So from next year,

regardless of whether you're having sex or not,

you get a screening.

Got it.

I got it, okay.

Okay, where can you go to get your cervical screen?

Roar.

Your GP, family planning.

Also could have answered,

Marae-based or other Māori health centres.

Ah.

Or visit the time-to-screen website

or call their 0800 number.

Okay.

Who can give you a cervical screen?

A medical professional.

You didn't buzz.

I don't know.

You lose a point.

So the correct answer is nurse, doctor,

or qualified screen taker.

For your information, you can ask for a female

and you can also ask if there's a Māori screen taker.

Good to know.

What can you do to protect yourself against cervical cancer?

Chicken.

Use a condom.

[Host] Guess again.

(Tamsin laughs)

I got it right?

No.

Clean yourself.

(all laugh)

Keep going.

Oh, vaccination.

Yes, HPV is a common infection that causes 99% of cervical cancers.

About four out of five people have an HPV infection at some time in their lives.

So 1, 2, 3, 4.

You do the math.

(all laugh)

Does a positive result mean you have cervical cancer.

Roar.

No, nothing's confirmed until they take a biopsy.

How many people die a year,

in New Zealand, from cervical cancer?

Put your numbers up so I can see them.

Tamsin, you are the closest.

It's around 116.

Oh, that's a lot.

Also, did you know that Māori women

have twice the rates of cervical cancer than non-Māori woman and are twice as likely to die from cervical cancer.

That's quite alarming and definitely a push

to get more of our friends and whānau off to get screamed.

What are some ways you can overcome

feelings of whakamā during your screen.

Roar.

To take someone with you,

so you've got a support person with you, like we did.

Like keep telling yourself

you're doing it for a good reason.

[Tamsin] Your health.

Having more open conversations about it,

like it's a normal part of your health checks.

Wear a skirt. (laughs)

I don't know if it's got anything...

I like the way you think.

You know, I wasn't keeping count.

Good.

Because you're all winners.

You know why?

'Cause we're getting screened.

Because we're getting screened.

A for effort.
Right.

Tamsin, here's your prize.

(all laugh)

Cupcakes.
Yum. Aroha.

Here's your cupcake, Francesca.

Thank you.

Here you go, Tanya, here's your prize.

Thank you so much.

[Tanya] Mmm.

Oh, my gosh, we just finished a cervical screening and Ari got major giggles.

Had to do some meditative breathing (deep inhaling and exhaling)

just so that she could relax so Dr. Barbara could finish the screening.

I was laughing.

We were laughing so much

that the speculum kept popping out.

I was popping out my speculum with my laughter.

(woman laughing)

Do you prefer having male or female doctors?

No preference, but have had both.

Yeah, I've had both.

I'm really lucky that I went and had my cervical screening after I had my daughter because I got some negative tests back or actually it was abnormal cells.

But after further testing it came back, it was totally fine, it was clear.

And if I didn't go and get that done or having my daughter actually meant that I would go and get checked out.

I would freak out.

I'd just be like, what does this mean?

Yeah. You get a bit of a shock.

You can't feel anything.

I couldn't feel it either.

Yeah. I remember that.

No, but I'm glad I did it and it came back all fine.

So that's good.

It's a little bit of a scary moment though when you get something like that back but it's always good to get it checked out.

But you know, having the support of your mom and your sisters to go and get those things done really helps.

Well, it's just lucky that mom got her screening or else we might not even have been born.

That's true.

That is true.

Yeah, and then what would've happened in that alternative world?

(woman laughing)

Yeah. Very lucky.

'Cause I'd be so lost without you guys.

Well, that's why we're so big on it, on getting the cervical screening regularly.

But also that was instilled in us from a very young age.

That was seven, eight years before I was born.

And they actually did say that she might not be able to have children.

Lucky.

So that was very, very lucky.

Having my girl and hearing about your mum and her experience, it makes me feel better about going in early, staying on top of my screening so that I can be here for her as well.

And you know, your mum's here for you guys.

It's important that we all go.

Yeah, honestly guys, after going through all this today and hearing about your mom and talking about my sister, like I need to do it, let's go.