Get a Routine Pap Test! Jacqueline Whitmore Stresses Importance of Regular Screenings During January – Cervical Health Awareness Month

Approximately 10,000 American women will learn they have cervical cancer/HPV this year, and nearly 4,000 will die from an advanced form of the disease. January is Cervical Health Awareness Month and I am dedicated to educating women about the importance of the Pap test as a screening tool for cervical cancer/HPV and about vaccines that can further reduce the burden of this devastating disease.

In 2001, I was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma in situ (the early stages of cervical cancer). That's why I feel it’s important to start the year right and make your health a priority. If you are a woman, I encourage you to contact your health care provider to schedule a Pap test to check for cervical cancer. This screening is a crucial part of a woman’s health care regimen, yet one that many overlook.

Sometimes we get too busy with our jobs and caring for other people that we oftentimes forget to care for ourselves. That was my case. I focused so much of my time and attention on my new business that I neglected to get my routine check-ups. I had no symptoms and did not feel sick so I didn’t feel the need to get my Pap test for four consecutive years! It wasn’t until I went to Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Tucson, Arizona for a speaking engagement that I met a nurse who encouraged me to get a check-up. In retrospect, I believe that she was an angel in disguise. If it weren’t for her advice, I might not have gotten tested that year and may not be alive today.

I am also grateful for my OBGYN, Dr. Laura Weston, for using the ThinPrep Pap test, which detected my adinocarcinoma insitu (the early stages of cervical cancer). I recently saw Dr. Weston for a check-up and had my picture taken with her.

Finally, don’t forget to ask your doctor for an HPV test if you are at least 30 years of age or over. Once you reach your 30th birthday, your risk of long-term HPV infection and cervical cancer becomes greater. At that time, you should begin getting the HPV test along with your Pap, no matter what your Pap result. Getting both tests together offers the most peace of mind.

I am happy to report that I am very healthy today. However, if you or someone you love is battling issues related to cervical cancer, there is a website that can help you. It is the National Cervical Cancer Coalition’s website: www.nccc-online.org. The NCCC is the only organization dedicated exclusively to helping women address concerns about cervical health and disease.

Jacqueline Whitmore Speaks Out About Cervical Cancer

I am back from Washington, DC and feeling energized! I just spent an amazing weekend at the National Cervical Cancer Coalition's Conference attended by 85 powerful, motivated and dynamic women who gathered together for one cause...to help fight cervical cancer. As a cervical cancer survivor, I was invited to be a keynote speaker and to share my personal story and to discuss ways in which we can increase cervical health awareness in our communities.

I was joined by an impressive line-up of other speakers including Christine Baze (www.popsmear.org), Tamika Felder (tamikaandfriends.org), Juan Felix, M.D., Cornelia Trimble, M.D., Beverly Kirkhart (www.beverlykirkhart.com), and Heidi Bauer, MD, MS, MPH .

During the conference, the following was discussed:

• Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women and it is caused by a virus called Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
• HPV is a ubiquitous virus and almost everyone (men and women) is infected with one or more types in their lifetime.
• Many people have no symptoms and are not even aware that they are infected with HPV.
• The body's immune system usually eliminates HPV infection on its own.
• HPV can reoccur and high risk HPV causes cancer.
• There are 400,000 new cases diagnosed annually and 200,000 deaths/year worldwide.
• Highest incidences of cervical cancer are found in Africa, South America, and India.
  

Cervical cancer is not a death sentence and can be treated if detected in the early stages. To lower your chances of getting cervical cancer, women should get an annual Pap test and ask for an HPV test. There is a new vaccine on the market called Gardasil that has been approved by the FDA to prevent cervical cancer in females. **I am a proponent for getting young girls vaccinated before they become sexually active. This would greatly reduce the amount of cervical cancer cases.

I am grateful for being invited to speak at the conference because I met many wonderful new friends who share in my enthusiasm to spread the word about HPV prevention, detection and treatment!

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The Cervical Cancer Quilt Project, managed by the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, is a key component of the NCCC public education initiative to raise awareness about cervical cancer. The quilts are composed of squares made by, or in memory of, women who have battled cervical cancer and precancerous lesions. Like the famous AIDS and ovarian cancer quilts, they are magnificent works of art. They give a human face to cervical cancer, create a compelling sense of urgency about this terrible disease, and serve as a dramatic way of expanding awareness about cervical cancer and the importance of early detection. They also reach women, their family members and caregivers in an affirmative way - allowing a cancer message to be absorbed in a comforting environment.

To learn more about HPV and cervical cancer, visit the NCCC's website at www.nccc-online.org.

Jacqueline Whitmore to Speak at the National Cervical Cancer Coalition Conference in Washington, DC on Sept. 14-15

In 2001 I was diagnosed with the early stages of cervical cancer. The devastating news came as a shock since I had never had an irregular pap smear or any physical symptoms. In retrospect, I was so busy working on my new business that I neglected to get regular check-ups for four consecutive years. What a mistake! When I did decide to get a check-up, that’s when my test results came back positive. If I had prolonged my appointment another year, who knows if I would even be alive today to tell my story.

It’s true that when you hear the word, “cancer,” your heart sinks and you go into a state of shock and disbelief. After my initial shock wore off, I got busy doing a tremendous amount of research. I found an amazing oncologist at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, had surgery, and am proud to be cancer-free! I was one of the lucky ones who caught it early. I wish I had known then what I know now about the human papilloma virus, also known as HPV. I had never even heard of it until my doctor in Tampa told me about it.

Today, there is a new vaccine that is highly effective in preventing many kinds of cervical cancer and is available to girls, beginning at nine years of age. I highly recommend it.

About a year ago, I discovered the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, a grassroots, non-profit organization. I am now one of their spokespersons. This week, (Sept. 14-15), I will have the privilege of speaking at the NCCC National Convention in Washington, DC to 85 women who either have, or have had, cervical cancer. During my talk, I will share my personal story and encourage these women to go back to their community and spread the word about how to prevent, detect, and treat this deadly disease that kills more than 273,500 women every year worldwide.

Please take a moment to peruse the NCCC’s website (www.nccc-online.org) which offers a wonderful phone pal and email pal program. This program provides a support system for cervical cancer survivors and patients. Or if you have cervical cancer, please don’t hesitate to email me. I would be happy to share my story with you and offer my support!