Polish Campaign: "I protect my life against cervical cancer"

This is a campaign which aim is to bring awareness to Polish women that cervical cancer, being the second as far as frequency of appearance in women is taken into consideration, malignant tumor, presents serious threat to their health and life. The campaign has a positive message as well: cervical cancer can be avoided by means of proper preventive care.

The Founding Committee of Polish Association for the Prevention of HPV Infection is the organizer of the campaign, scientific patronage is held by: Polish Committee for Tumor Prevention, Polish Gynecological Society, Polish Society of Oncological Gynecology. The campaign is also supported by “Pink Lilly of the Valley Program”, which has been leading educational activities relating to cervical cancer problem for several years.

Various types of human papilloma virus (HPV) are the cause of cervical cancer. This is a very frequent virus. It is estimated that over a half of adults, in a certain stage in their lives, become infected with HPV. From the moment of infection to the development of malignant tumor there is a period of five to ten years. It is a long time, enough to discover the disease in its completely curable stage. Despite of this, however, among four thousand of Polish women, who get cervical cancer every year, half of them die. The main reason of this is the fact, that the disease was diagnosed too late. This means that every single day five women in Poland die of cervical cancer. The reason of such high mortality rate is the fact that Polish women do not do pap smear on regular basis. These tests help to find even the tiniest changes in the scope of cervix. Only 30% of Polish women do pap smears once every three years, next 30% has never had the test. Women die because they find out about their illness much too late – and that is the case of every second woman.

The campaign was initiated in order to let Polish women know that this type of tumor can be prevented. If every woman underwent pap smear test at least once in her life, the death risk connected with the disease would drop at about 40%. Soon there will be an opportunity to use primal cervical cancer prevention methods, such as vaccinations against HPV infection.

Polish celebrities, such as actresses Anna Korcz and Alicja Bachleda- Curus, have engaged in the campaign. Along medical experts they are to persuade women that their health and life are the values which have to be protected. The easiest way to do this is to perform regular prevention medical tests.

As for the time being, unfortunately the disease gives Polish women first and dishonorable place in Europe as far as mortality death rate is taken into consideration. The campaign focuses on its goal by handing out educational brochures and its symbols: Violet Ribbons and giving women an opportunity to gain additional information as well as to see a specialist. But still lots of us do not think about our health seriously and in this case neglecting the basic preventive care might lead to a problem which could be to difficult to overcome.

Anna J

I just happened to read today that some states are wanting to make it a law that all 11 or 12 year old girls get vaccinated against HPV. I'll try to find the article and post the URL for you.

This is not the article I read today, but it basically is saying the same thing.

content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/355/23/2389

This is crazy. Most parents will not want to give this vaccine to their daughters. My daughter will not get it until she is 18. Our US companies are making $300.00 per vaccine. Most people will be opposed to forced vaccination. They are presuming that girls are having sex that young. They are in some minority communities. 70% of the Black babies born in my city are to unmarried girls. Now, that is an epidemic.

my 24 year old sister had her son in December 2005 she has been recently diagnosed with pre cervical cancer cells and is booked in to have a full hysterectomy as a result in the next few weeks ... plus my 27year old sister lost her best friend under exact same circumstances ie she had a baby her first like my sister and a year later she died of cervical cancer.

There are many different types and most do most cause cancer. How rare it is is show that even promiscuous Gay men are being vaccinated as its unlikely they would already been infected. That post implies that half the adults will die within five years, which is scaremongering as you also need the genetic disposition and the statistics don't add up.

Having said that, I fully support that this should be on the UK NHS. I looked at the cost and it was 700 GBP.