Take care of your health for the people who need you
When life gets busy, it's easy to put your health on the back burner, especially if you feel fine. But many serious conditions develop without early symptoms. By the time something feels wrong, it may already be more complex to treat.
Your health means everything to someone else. Whether it's family, a partner, children, siblings, dependents, or friends - your health means the world to them. Taking care of your health isn't just about you; it's about being there for life's special moments and milestones with the people who need you most. That's why it's important to do health screenings.
They're designed to detect potential risks early - often before symptoms appear - giving you a better chance at early intervention, simpler treatment and improved long-term outcomes. Taking care of your health this way means you can be there for the people who rely on you.
What are general health screenings?
General health screenings are a combination of simple checks that help assess your health and detect early signs of disease. These include:
- Bowel screening
- Prostate screening (for men)
- Mammograms (for women)
- Pap smears (for women)
- Annual health checks.
Each one helps you stay on top of your health in different ways.
Bowel screening
What is it?
Bowel screening is a test that checks for early signs of bowel cancer often before you have symptoms.
Why is it important?
Bowel cancer can develop silently. Detecting it early can make a big difference to treatment outcomes and the chances of successful management.
Where can you do the test?
You do the test at home. It's quick and private, as you don't have to visit a doctor.
What does it involve?
It's a simple stool test. You order a screening kit from Bowel Screen South Africa, collect a small stool sample and then deliver it to a pathology laboratory (like Ampath) to be tested.
Prostate screening (for men)
What is it?
Prostate screening is a blood test that helps detect early signs of prostate cancer.
Why is it important?
Prostate cancer often develops without symptoms in its early stages. Early detection can notably improve outcomes.
Where can you do the test?
- GP practices
- Pharmacy clinics
- Pathology laboratories
What does it involve?
This is a quick blood test that can be done in a few minutes. A healthcare professional will draw a small blood sample and send it to be tested for prostate-specific indicators.
Mammogram (for women)
What is it?
A mammogram is a breast scan used to detect early signs of breast cancer.
Why is it important?
Breast cancer can develop before you can feel or see any differences. Early detection notably increases survival rates.
Where can you do the test?
- Radiology centres
- Hospitals or screening providers
- Mobile units (like PinkDrive)
What does it involve?
A specially trained healthcare professional will do an imaging scan (an X-ray) of the breasts. While it can be uncomfortable, it doesn't take long.
Pap Smear (for women)
What is it?
A pap smear (or cervical screening) is a routine test that detects changes in cervical cells that could lead to cervical cancer.
Why is it important?
It can identify abnormal cells that can be treated before they develop into cancer.
Where can you do the test?
- GP practices
- Gynaecologist practices
- Clinics
- Mobile screening units
What does it involve?
A healthcare professional collects a small sample of cells from the cervix and sends it to a lab for testing. While the procedure can be uncomfortable, it's a routine check that can prevent cervical cancer.
Annual health check
What is it?
An annual health check gives you a full overview of your physical and mental wellbeing.
Why is it important?
It helps identify risk factors early, even before disease develops, so you can manage your health proactively.
Where can you do the test?
- Discovery Stores
- GP practices
- Participating pharmacies or clinics
What does it involve?
This is a comprehensive set of checks that can help you understand your overall health. It can include:
- Blood tests for cholesterol and blood glucose
- Blood pressure checks
- Body mass index and weight measurement
- A mental health assessment.
Why It's important to do your screenings
Each of these screenings is important on its own, but together they give you a more complete picture of your health.
They help you:
- Detect risks early
- Act sooner
- Avoid more serious complications later
- Stay in control of your health journey.
Ultimately, they help you stay present for everyday moments, for milestones and for the people who count on you.
Access Personal Health Pathways to get started
Personal Health Pathways is designed to help you get these screenings done. If you already have Personal Health Pathways activated, log in to the Discovery Health app and view your recommended next best screening actions. If you don't have Personal Health Pathways activated, activate now.
Unlock extra value!
Unlock extra value in your Personal Health Fund through Personal Health Pathways. You can earn up to R500 in your Personal Health Fund for completing your recommended next best actions. You also get an added Once‑off Personal Health Fund Boost of R1,000 for each beneficiary this year.
Take the step
Health screenings are not about waiting until something is wrong - they're about staying one step ahead.
Most are quicker and easier than you might expect. Some can be done at home and others during a short appointment.
Taking the time to complete them now can make a meaningful difference later.
Personal Health Pathways is brought to Discovery Health Medical Scheme members by Discovery Health. Personal Health Pathways is enabled by the combination of Discovery Health's healthcare capabilities and Vitality's behaviour change expertise.