Rēine finds camaraderie and comfort discussing women’s health concerns with her group of friends, and she’s prepared to pass those conversations on to her own daughter when the time is right. Rēine is lifting her voice to ensure that her daughter has access to the life-saving Pap test in the future, just as she and her friends have access to it today.
“My own circle of female friends share their own experiences with me from abnormal Pap test results to concerns of various diseases. These private conversations made me think of my own responsibility as a mother, and how one day I will need to educate my own daughter in the future on how to protect herself by understanding the importance of women’s health, her own body, and making sure she knows the importance of Pap testing. There are proposed changes to the guidelines that could eliminate the Pap test and leave women at high risk for undiagnosed disease, and I am sharing my voice as I want to protect our rights as women to have access to these tests to protect our health and bodies. My personal health and body is a priority to me, and I want to do what I can to ensure my own wellness but also to set a good example to my daughter that caring about your body, and getting regular Pap testing is VERY important as it is a form of the greatest selfcare.”