Resources for Cervical Health Awareness Month
More than 14,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer each year, according to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC).
The Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes almost all cases of cervical cancer, but there’s not one single one size fits all treatment, because cervical cancers are unique to the patients diagnosed with them.
The good news: Prevention is possible with vaccination and early detection. Early detection involves regular Pap exams, and a specific test for HPV. These two tests can help doctors identify cervical cancers early.
But there’s still work to do. According to the NCCC, rural residents and people of color tend to be diagnosed with cervical cancer more frequently and often with a more advanced stage.
Designated by Congress, January is Cervical Health Awareness Month in the U.S. and awareness efforts focus on issues related to cervical cancer, HPV, and the importance of early detection.
In honor of #CervicalHealthMonth, here are some resources to help you learn more about cervical and pelvic health:
- Ready to test your cervical health awareness? Click here to play a quick game of two truths and a lie, created by Mighty intern Melissa https://qz.app.do/cervical-health-awareness-month
- Find free or low cost Pap smears in your area: https://www.nccc-online.org/resources/freelow-cost-pap-testing/
- Hear from Mighty contributor Autumn, a cervical cancer survivor, about the importance of yearly physicals: https://themighty.com/topic/cervical-cancer/yearly-physical-early-cancer-detection/
- Mighty contributor Maya shares about trauma-informed pelvic floor physical therapy, a treatment option to reduce endometrial pain: https://themighty.com/topic/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/experience-pelvic-floor-dysfunction-therapy-sexual-abuse-survivor/
- Mighty contributor Samantha shares what to expect from pelvic floor physical therapy: https://themighty.com/topic/chronic-pain/what-to-expect-pelvic-floor-physical-therapy/
- And Mighty contributor Sara shares what many people don’t know about pelvic floor dysfunction: https://themighty.com/topic/endometriosis/treating-pelvic-floor-dysfunction-endometriosis/