Screen Me! – a short film about cervical screening with disability

Screen Me! encourages people with disability to do their cervical screening. The short film was made for and by people with disability.

7:04

Kitchen - Margot and Linda

Margot opens a letter – it is from the National Cervical Screening Program.

Margot: Mum, what's this? Is this something I need to worry about?

Linda: Um, No. No, it's not something you really have to worry about.

Linda takes the letter from Margot and puts it in a draw.

Café - Margot and Auggie

Auggie: …they have these like giant cookies. They're like the size of…

Auggie signs ‘thank you’ to Darcy, the waitress who has brought their meals.

Margot: … you 2 are very obvious.

Auggie: Giggles.

Margot: Hey Auggie, can I ask you something? Have you ever had a cervical screening test?

Auggie: Well, that came out of nowhere.

Margot: Well… I received this in mail but mum said not to worry about it.

Margot hands Auggie the letter she received earlier.

Auggie: It's just saying that now you're of a 25 you should have a cervical screening every five years just to check that your cervix is healthy. I go routinely and actually have my screening this afternoon… randomly.

Margot: Oh, so everyone with a cervix needs one?

Auggie: Yep, your mum's probably just feels uncomfortable thinking about you being sexually active, which is exactly why you need to get the tests done. 

Look, there's two different ways you can do it now. Your doctor or nurse can do it for you, or you can do it yourself with a self swab. Maybe talk to your mum again and help her understand this impacts everyone with the cervix, like whether they've had sex once or, well, more than once.

Margot: Auggie!

Doctor’s Office – Doctor and Katie

Doctor: Well that's it for today. Thanks Katie. Oh, actually you're due for a cervical screening test.

Katie: Can you check again? I'm sure I only just had one.

Doctor: Did you know you can do it yourself now using a self swab? I can talk you through how to use it if you like.

Katie: I'm listening.

Doctor’s waiting room – Auggie and Darcy

Auggie: [ASL] Thanks for supporting me. I trust you being here.

Darcy: [ASL] I’m glad I’m here with you.

Bathroom - Katie

Voice off screen: Can I say something?

Katie: Who's that?

Katie’s [Cartoon] Cervix: She's forgotten. Fair enough. Long time. No attention. I'm your cervix.

Katie: Are you real?

Katie’s [Cartoon] Cervix: Yes, I'm real. So let's do what we can to check that we have a healthy  cervix. Listen, I know in the past this has been uncomfortable.

Katie: That's an understatement.

Katie’s [Cartoon] Cervix: Now you can do it yourself. It's easy. 10 seconds, two to three rotations in the vagina.

Katie: We've got this.

Katie’s [Cartoon] Cervix: Yes, we do.

Doctor’s Office – Doctor and Auggie

Doctor: OK, all done. That's it for now. I'm really glad to see you keeping up with the screening every five years.

Auggie: Thanks Doc.

Doctor’s office waiting room – Auggie and Darcy

Auggie walks into the waiting room from the doctor’s office. Darcy rises from her seat.

Auggie: [ASL] When are you having your test?

Darcy shrugs.

Auggie: [ASL] When you’re ready, I will be here too. You can always read more information if it makes you feel better?

Bedroom – Darcy

Darcy reads the health.gov.au/ncsp website. Darcy’s cartoon cervix, waves from the nightstand to her.

Darcy’s [Cartoon] Cervix: [ASL] See Darcy, this is bigger than you or I.

Darcy: [ASL] Who are you?

Darcy’s Cervix: [ASL] I’m your cervix. You and me, Darcy, we can help eliminate cervical cancer in Australia. What do you say?

Darcy nods and uses her laptop to book an appointment.

Doctor’s office waiting room – Auggie, Darcy, Margot and Linda

Auggie and Darcy sit in the waiting room. Margot walks out of the doctor’s office, Linda follows behind her.

Margot: Hey, Auggie.

Auggie: Oh, hey Margot, what are you doing here?

Margot: I just did my first ever Cervical Screening Test.

Auggie: Nice one.

Margot’s [Cartoon] Cervix: And if it's good news, we don't have to come back for another five years.

Doctor: Darcy Jones?

Auggie: Oh, that's us. See you, Margot.

Margot: Bye.

Auggie and Darcy walk into the doctor’s office. Margot winks at her cartoon cervix and leaves with Linda.

Voice over black screen with text

Cervical screening is a test to check that your cervix is healthy and it can help stop cervical cancer. Anyone of the cervix aged 25 to 74 should have a Cervical Screening Test every five years, including people with disability. Getting the test has been made easier. Your doctor or nurse can do the test, or you can take the test yourself. How you do it is your choice. Find out more at www.health.gov.au/screen-me, or ask your doctor or nurse for more information.

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