November 1, 10 am
Fourth floor, Place Riel Student Centre
University of Saskatchewan
On the same day last year at the U of S Saskatoon campus, 712 people submitted a urine sample. A few months later, in February 2017, Western University in London, Ont. set the unofficial world record by screening 1,053 people.
“Everyone who is sexually active should get tested for STIs regularly—no matter if you think you have an STI or not,” said Jocelyn Orb, manager of the Student Wellness Centre at the U of S. “Getting tested is healthy behaviour and nothing to be ashamed of.”
Orb said she hopes the U of S can beat Western’s record, or last year’s U of S record, and, if nothing else, Orb hopes the event will increase awareness of the importance of testing for and promptly treating STIs, such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis and HIV.
Six tables will be set up across campus where participants can register and receive a sample cup and small paper bag to collect urine.
The urine will be sent to the Provincial Lab of Saskatchewan in Regina and tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea. In about seven to 10 days participants will be contacted if anything is found.
The event is organized by the U of S Student Wellness Centre, Peer Health and the U of S Students’ Union, in collaboration with the Saskatoon Sexual Health, OUTSaskatoon, SWITCH, Women’s Health Centre of Saskatoon, and AIDS Saskatoon.
Government of Canada information:
- Report on Sexually Transmitted Infections in Canada: 2011
- The Chief Public Health Officer's Report on the State of Public Health in Canada 2013 – Sexually transmitted infections
Available for interview:
- Jocelyn Orb, U of S manager of Student Wellness Centre, 306-966-5773
- Dustin de Vries, forth year nursing student and member of the Peer Health outreach program, U of S, 306-891-8811
- Natalya Mason, Saskatoon Sexual Health, 306-280-4529
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For more information, contact:
Meghan Sired
Communications Co-ordinator, U of S
306-966-6068 (work)
306-381-7992 (cell)
meghan.sired@usask.ca