The Memphis & Shelby County Health Department sent an electronic reminder that January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

Cervical cancer is a cancer success story. There's a new vaccine that promises to prevent roughly 70 percent of cases. There is also a relatively simple and relatively painless test to find the cancer early when it is nearly 100 percent curable. It's known as the Pap test.

There is even a program that provides Pap tests free to women without insurance coverage or who cannot afford to pay for it themselves. Known as the Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening program, it is open to women 40 to 64.