A plea from a public figure fighting a very private battle: Labour minister Kiri Allan has urged everyone to encourage the women in their lives to get a smear after announcing she has stage three cervical cancer.
The East Coast MP says the diagnosis hit her like a jolt she'd never experienced.
She admits ignoring the symptoms - putting it down to the stress of the job, and now wants to make sure no one else does the same.
Political reporter Charlie Dreaver filed this report.