Around 300 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in Ireland every year.
The Irish Family Planning Association and Cervical Check are launching the Pearl of Wisdom campaign today to raise awareness of the importance of regular screening.
Women between the ages of 25 and 60 are being encouraged to book their free smear tests when they receive their Cervical Check letters.
Dr. Catríona Henchion, medical director of the IFPA, explains why early detection is so vital: "The treatments are going to prevent a person developing cancer, so they won’t have to have radical surgery or invasive treatment.
"They will be having a small outpatient treatment, that will prevent them from developing cancer,
"Once someone has symptoms that is because they already have an established cancer, first of all the risk of dying from that has increased, but also even if they are going to have a good outcome, the amount of treatment they are going to have is going to be much more extensive."