PUBLIC HEALTH | MAY 16TH, 2024
La’Emaj was only 26 years old
Heidi at 53 had no symptoms and nothing indicative of any problems. One day she felt uncomfortable and went to the hospital for a checkup thinking it was a blocked intestine. While at the hospital, Heidi started to bleed out, the entire team went wild trying to figure out what was happening. Within a day, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Turned out, Heidi had had the HPV for 10 years unbeknownst to her. Like most of us, Heidi thought she was living a great life and taking good care of herself medically. In ignorance, she neglected going to her gynecologist regularly because she thought she wasn’t having another baby, nor had any problems. Interestingly, when her daughter Emily was 11 years old, her doctor mentioned the HPV vaccine and Heidi consented for Emily to have it and ignored herself. Heidi went through Chemotherapy and radiation. Today, Heidi can no longer cycle, hike, walk etc.
La’Emaj on the other hand was 26 and had gone for her yearly checkup as usual, did a pap smear. Two days later, she got a call that her results had come back abnormal, and it was being sent for further testing. la’Emaj was in the early stage of cervical cancer. It was surgically removed, sent to the cancer center where it was discovered that there was a high probability of it returning in an aggressive way. The only answer was a hysterectomy and with that she will not be able to have babies. She was terrified and took a risk to have a baby while praying that the cancer would wait. Thankfully, she had her son and had the hysterectomy done 6 months later.
Cervical cancer should be almost nonexistent, as it’s one of the most treatable and preventable cancers. However, women in the United States are still dying at alarming rates. According to the American Cancer Society, about 4,310 women will die from cervical cancer in 2023, out of an estimated 13,960 new cases. The CDC estimates that about 4,000 women die from cervical cancer each year.
Notably, Cervical pre-cancers are diagnosed far more often than invasive cervical cancer.
Women between the ages of 35 and 44, with the average age being 50 are at a higher risk. It rarely develops in women younger than 20.
Common signs and symptoms include Vaginal bleeding after sex, menopause, or between periods, vaginal discharge that is watery, has a strong odor, or contains blood, pelvic pain, or pain during sex.
Prevention modes are learn about screening options, get the test that is right for you, follow-up on any abnormal results, encourage other women to be screened, ask about screening at each health visit, HPV vaccine.
Treatment options are Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy and immunotherapy.
January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. This month serves as a public health campaign to educate people who have a cervix about how to take care of it. Such as, noticing signs of cervical cancer, getting a vaccination, and checking in with a gynecologist.
References:
Freeman L., (2024). January Is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in the US. Retrieved from US Lawmakers Should Protect Vaccination Mandates, Sex Ed in Schools | Human Rights Watch (hrw.org)
American Cancer Society, (2024). Cervical Cancer. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/cervical-cancer.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020). Cervical Cancer is Preventable. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/cervical-cancer/
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Stay tuned for more updates!
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