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Advocacy | Focus on Cervical Cancer
January is the USA's National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. EOTP wants
to make sure you are informed about cervical cancer risk, detection, and
treatment. For more about cervical cancer month, contact advocacy@eyesontheprize.org
January 2001 is National Cervical Cancer Month in the U.S.
This month U.S. citizens have the opportunity to generate more awareness
of cervical cancer. We can begin by celebrating the passage of the recent
Breast and Cervical Cancer Act, a U.S. federal program that will allow
more low-income women diagnosed with cervical cancer to enter treatment.
Hear! Hear!
Cervical cancer is the gynecological cancer termed "most treatable"
if caught in the early stage. But too many of us at EOTP have suffered
with misread pap tests or delayed treatment. Additionally, because the
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has been found to be causal for cervical cancer
and, according to the January 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical
Association, Chlamydia trachomatis serotype G appears to be strongly associated
with the development of cervical squamous cell carcinoma, we at EOTP have
much to do to raise awareness both in the U.S. and around the globe.
Following is a list of things we can do, no matter which country we live
in, to promote awareness of cervical cancers among our medical providers,
grandmothers, mothers, aunts, nieces, daughters and granddaughters:
- Take care of yourself first. Make sure you and your loved ones have
a yearly Pap test and demand that you receive a copy of your pathology
report from Cytology. Don't just take your doctor's "negative"
or "atypical" comments - get the actual report.
- Consider a test for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV - sometimes called
genital warts). While only a few strains of this most common virus are
virulent [it is estimated that up to 70 percent of Americans carry one
of the hundreds of strains of HPV - much like exposure to a common cold
virus], there are DNA tests that can determine whether you sustain a
risk. Tell your doctor you want to be tested for papilloma virus strains
16, 18, and 33.
- Take a diagnosis of Clamydia seriously. While cervical cancer is emphatically
not a sexually transmitted disease, insult to the delicate tissues of
the cervix heightens the potential for later development of the disease.
If you or a loved one are diagnosed with clamydia, be particularly vigilant
with subsequent pap tests.
- If you smoke, quit! Smoking has been shown to have a strong correlation
with cervical cancers.
- Talk about cervical cancer without shame. Our reproductive organs
are just that: organs, like the liver or lungs. Help educate other women
to respect their sexuality and prevent disease by encouraging their
yearly pap tests for cervical cancer and requesting a test for the Human
Papilloma Virus.
- Write to your local media and tell them that you think yearly pap
tests are essential and that the public needs more coverage of gynecological
cancers. Direct them to pr@eyesontheprize.org
if they want personal stories of cervical cancer survivors.
- Write or call your local health program on radio or TV. Tell them
about National Cervical Cancer month in the U.S. and about EyesOnThePrize.org.
Have them contact pr@eyesontheprize.org
for follow-up.
- Write or call major television networks. Tell them you want more stories
about gynecological cancers and more realistic treatment of the devastation
these cancers that 'hit below the belt' bring to women's lives.
- Contact your political representatives and tell them you want more
money placed in cervical cancer early detection and prevention programs.
- Make sure your medical providers have an EyesOnThePrize.org
poster and handout cards for newly diagnosed women in their offices!
You can print the poster and cards out from the tools section of EyesOnThePrize.org.
Let us know if you need the poster or cards translated into another
language.
- Wear the beautiful EyesOnThePrize.org
sweatshirt or t-shirt with Iris and EOTP logo. When friends and
family ask about it you can proudly tell them that you wear it to increase
awareness of all gynecological cancers.
- Tell us your ideas
for Cervical Cancer Awareness so we can share them at the Advocacy section
of EyesOnThePrize.org!
Frequently Asked Questions about cervical cancer
Stories of cervical cancer survivors
- Carol F., Pennsylvania, USA,
adenocarcinoma, stage 1b
- Cathy, Ontario, Canada, metastatic
stage 2B
- Jax, Maine, USA, stage 1B
- Karen, Alberta, Canada,
stage 1A, VAIN
- Katie, California, USA, metastatic
stage 1B
- Linda M, California, USA
- Lori M, Arizona, USA, small-cell
adenocarcinoma, stage 3B
- Marcy, Wisconsin, USA, stage 1b2
- Rena, Florida, USA, stage 3A
- Sue B. Pennsylvania, USA, adenocarcinoma,
stage 1B
Resources for learning more about cervical cancer
Getting active about cervical cancer
Talk about cervical cancer
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