It's Ladies Night Out in Millersburg. Between live rock music, karaoke, cardio drumming and a Kentucky Derby hat contest, the annual women's health event launched something new this year: on-site cervical cancer screening.
Penn State Cancer Institute and Penn State College of Medicine, in partnership with the LION Mobile Clinic, are making cervical cancer screening more accessible by bringing it to community events like this one.
Cynthia Christiansen, 63, was the first participant.
"I've had regular Pap smears, but I haven't had one in several years, so I was due," she said. "This is a convenient way to get it done."
This program is the latest in the Cancer Institute and Penn State College of Medicine's innovative approach to closing gaps in cancer prevention. Through community outreach, education, screening events and research, they help people understand their risk factors and get checked early, when cancer is most treatable.
Cancer screenings, right to you
Penn State Cancer Institute and the College of Medicine offer a free, simple test for human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus that can cause cervical cancer. Women use a swab to collect their own sample in the restroom or the LION Mobile Clinic. The sample then goes to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for testing. If results are positive for HPV infection, the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement at the Cancer Institute connects the patient with follow-up care.
The team plans to offer at least 100 free tests in 2026. The goal is to reach women who may not get routine preventive care due to lack of insurance or other barriers.
Those who don't receive a test can still take home educational materials about cervical cancer, available in English and Spanish.
