By Oihane Benaran Munoz | Development Coordinator
Here at WINGS, we hear incredible stories of how our services affect the lives of individual women and even their extended families. One of our favorite situations is when women come to us because a sister or aunt has referred them because they trust us to provide the highest quality of reproductive health care.
A few weeks ago, Fátima visited WINGS’ clinic at the hospital in Cobán (department of Alta Verapaz in northern Guatemala), where we offer reproductive health services every Wednesday. She made a 5-hour trip from El Estor (department of Izabal in eastern Guatemala) to get a cervical cancer screening.
Fátima told our nurse Carmencita that her aunt had been screened with WINGS and that the results showed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) at stage III, the latest stage before developing into cancer. WINGS helped her get the necessary information to have surgery in Guatemala City.
Despite having access to health facilities nearby, Fátima preferred to visit WINGS because her aunt had a pap test at the local health center and the results were negative. However, it turned out to be an advanced precancerous condition when she got her results with WINGS. Unfortunately, a pap smear is more likely to show false negative results, which may have been the case of Fátima’s aunt.
After the aunt was cured, one of Fátima’s cousins decided to attend to a WINGS clinic and we discovered pre-cancerous cells. WINGS provided cryotherapy that same day and she is now fully recovered too.
These experiences encouraged Fátima to get screened. She was so satisfied with WINGS’ services, she brought her mother the following week. Both of them had a negative result. Fátima told WINGS how thankful she was for our work, as we had saved the lives of two of her relatives. She also mentioned that getting screened had given Fátima and her mother peace of mind regarding their sexual health.
Thank you for supporting our cervical cancer program. Early detection can save lives like Fátima’s family’s.
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