cervical cancer

PRESS RELEASE: Governors and Mayors Across the U.S. Declare January as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month aims to raise awareness and encourage women to schedule their screenings

MARYLAND, January 14, 2024 – In states and cities across the U.S., Governors and Mayors have declared January as “Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.” Proclamations have been issued at the request of patient advocacy group Cervivor and have been signed to raise awareness a disease that claims the lives of over 4,000 U.S. women a year.

“The U.S. Cancer Statistics Work Group states that in 2020, 11,542 new cervical cancer cases were diagnosed, and 4,272 lives were lost from it,” said Tamika Felder, Founder and Chief Visionary of Cervivor. “Simply put, death from cervical cancer is preventable with vaccination, screening, and treatment. We need to raise awareness across the nation to prevent it from taking more lives.”

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the five-year survival rate of individuals diagnosed with cervical cancer is 67.2% due to improved treatment, early diagnosis, and vaccinations. However, cervical cancer incidence rates and death rates are still high among certain populations in the U.S., according to NIH, largely due to limited access to cervical cancer screening and vaccinations. In 2015-2019, African-American women were more likely to die of cervical cancer than any other group, followed by American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, white, and then Asian/Pacific Islander.

Virtually all cervical cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The HPV vaccine has been proven to be safe and effective against types of HPV that cause 70% of cervical cancers, and the results from a simple Pap test and HPV co-test can be used to help prevent cervical cancer or detect cervical cancer in its earliest and most curable stages.

Patient advocacy organizations like Cervivor, who inspire and empower those affected by cervical cancer by educating and motivating them to use their voices for creating awareness to end stigma, are on a mission to ensure the disease is eradicated.

The following cities and states, by way of Cervivor, have issued these proclamations:

“We thank the Governors and Mayors for signing these proclamations and for their commitment to raising awareness of this disease,” says Felder. “Cervivor urges women to use this month to schedule their necessary health screenings to stay cancer free.” Those interested in learning more about Cervivor are encouraged to visit www.cervivor.org.

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About Cervivor: Cervivor is a global community of patient advocates who inspire and empower those affected by cervical cancer by educating and motivating them to use their voices for creating awareness to end stigma, influence decision and change, and end cervical cancer. Learn more at www.cervivor.org or visit us on Instagram, Facebook or X.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Kate Weissman, Cervivor Ambassador Phone: 610-324-3239 Email: [email protected]

Our Scars: What A Beautiful Mess

Here is an ‘artified’ version of my port scar. Currently if I wear a v-neck or scoop-neck piece of clothing it will show. Once my port is removed, it may change shape slightly but it will still be there unless I choose to have plastic surgery.

There is a lot of debate among my teal sisters about scars. Many have been so affected by their experience that they choose to cover them up through makeup, corrective surgery or tattoos. I absolutely respect their choices. I am choosing to embrace my battle scars.

I find it oddly comforting to see it. It’s also a great conversation starter. I have had people ask, “what happened?” I welcome that because then I am able to share my story and hopefully spread more awareness about cervical cancer. Like my c-section scar, it is a reminder of not just my physical journey but my emotional and spiritual one as well.

Wabi-sabi

Wabi-sabi is a concept that motions us to constantly search for the beauty in imperfection and accept the more natural cycle of life. It reminds us that all things including us and life itself, are impermanent, incomplete and imperfect. And it seems a much healthier way of looking at the world when you realize perfection is NOT the goal.

Kintsugi

An ancient form of art stems for wabi-sabi, whereby you mend broken objects with gold fillings, giving them ‘golden scars’. It’s know as Kintsugi or Kintsukuroi.

Think of a bowl or teapot that has been dropped onto the floor. What would you do with it? You’d most likely pick up the pieces and throw them away. But not with Kintsugi. Here you bring the pieces of broken pottery back together and glue them with liquid gold. Wouldn’t that make them imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed yet somehow more beautiful? Kintsugi reminds us that there is great beauty in broken things because scars tell a story. They demonstrate fortitude, wisdom, and resilience, earned through the passage of time.

“Why hide these imperfections or golden scars when we are meant to celebrate them?” ~ Omar Itani

That’s how I see my scar – a beautiful imperfect that shows that brokenness can be healed and made whole again. Real… not perfect.

One of my favorite quotes is from Leonard Cohen, “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” Maybe that cracks or scars actually let your light out, to be seen and shared with others?

Christy Chambers is a 2023 Cervivor School Graduate and Cervivor community member thriving beyond Stage IVB cervical cancer. She resides in Monroe, North Carolina with her husband, son, and doggo, Ethel Mertz.