The BCCC stands for The Bahamas Cervical Cancer Coalition.

Dr Nina Graham set up the BCCC group at the end of 2019 in a bid to raise awareness about the risks of cervical cancer for women in the Bahamas. 

The group launched the Perfectly Papped campaign in a bid to help Bahamians understand the need and importance of a regular PAP test.

“Our campaign is not only about raising awareness to women, we want to educate fathers, single-fathers, husbands, partners and families about the importance of this test for women in our society.  So many women could be helped and saved if we educate ourselves and remove the taboo of this simple and regular test. Cervical Cancer is a killer and we need

What is a PAP test?

A Pap test, also called a Pap Smear, is a screening procedure for cervical cancer. It tests for the presence of precancerous or cancerous cells on your cervix. The cervix is the opening of the uterus.

Your doctor will slowly insert a device called a speculum into your vagina. This device keeps the vaginal walls open and provides access to the cervix.

Your doctor will scrape a small sample of cells from your cervix.

There are two possible results from a Pap smear: normal or abnormal.

How long does it take? 

The test is very quick. You’ll be done in a matter of minutes

Does it hurt?

Pap smears can be a bit uncomfortable, but they are pain free.  Most women feel a slight push and irritation during the brief scraping.

When should I have one?

In the Bahamas we PAP test is performed once a year as part of your annuals.

What if I don’t have health insurance?

We strongly advise you to pay for regular tests.  You can book Dr Nina Graham direct and have a test done at one of her clinics. 

What happens if I don’t have one?

Without a regular PAP, your cells in your cervix will remain unmonitored, which means in the unlikely event that you have abnormal cells, there is no way to determine the level of abnormality with a test.  You run a higher risk of these cells getting worse over time. 

What does it mean if my results are abnormal?

If your test results are abnormal, this doesn’t mean you have cancer. It simply means that there are abnormal cells on your cervix, some of which could be precancerous. There are several levels of abnormal cells.  Milder abnormal cells are more common than severe abnormalities. 

What doe PAP mean?! 

The test was invented by and named after the Greek-American doctor Georgios Papanikolaou, who started his research in the 1920s.  The Papanicolaou test abbreviated as Pap test, also known as Pap smear, cervical smear, cervical screening or smear test.