Take a Stand and Protect the Womb-Man!
January is a special month that gives birth to a new year filled with new goals and victories. Speaking of giving birth, it also happens to be Cervical Awareness month. What is a cervix, you ask? It is the lower portion of a woman’s uterus that leads to the vagina, known as the womb. Cancer cells can form in the uterus and this is almost always caused by HPV, a sexually-transmitted disease. The American Cancer Society is already predicting that 4,170 women will die from cervical cancer this year. This seems alarming. However fret not, because this is one of the very few cancers that is preventable and if caught early enough, curable.
The key to protecting your “womb-man” includes going to the doctor annually and getting a well-woman checkup. Talk to your doctor about getting regular Pap Smears and testing for HPV, particularly for young women 21 years of age and older. Parents should also be proactive by having their children vaccinated for HPV because it can save their lives in the future. So let’s use this month to spread the word about cervical cancer and encourage women to regularly get screened. Women should not be dying from what we can prevent. Start early, and stay healthy!
Get Checked. Get Fit . Get MOVING™!
Sources :
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Cervical Cancer Awareness
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/resources/features/cervicalcancer/index.htm
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Improving your Odds for Cervical Health
https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm383757.htm
American Cancer Society: Key Statistics for Cervical Cancer
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cervical-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
