Western PA Teenagers Raise Cancer Awareness

Margot California, 15, and Sarah Glatz, 14, are in the ninth grade at North Hills High School in Ross Township, which is located in western Pennsylvania. While they both lived through their mothers’ cancer, they received support from other people whose lives were also affected by the disease.


The girls are now members of the Teen Advisory Committee at Gilda's Club of Western Pennsylvania. Through the organization, the girls introduced cancer awareness and support to their peers. They handed out ribbons and literature about cancer, sold bracelets to raise money for Gilda’s Club, and set up a wall display for teachers and students could post about loved ones who experienced cancer.


"I think it opens their eyes to see how cancer affects people that they know," said Sarah, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor.


"There are a few people in my grade that have parents or grandparents that are very ill from cancer. Hopefully, we are able to show them that they can get support," said Margot, whose mother died from ovarian cancer last year. She said that her mother had wanted her to donate her time to help Gilda’s Club, a national nonprofit organization that was formed in memory of a comedienne who died of ovarian cancer.


The Teen Advisory Committee was started four years ago because teenagers weren't coming to the Gilda Club’s Pittsburgh chapter. The committee has 20 teens, most of whom have encountered cancer. The committee sponsors a battle of the bands, a writing contest, and awareness weeks in schools. The committee isn’t just for ovarian cancer, though. During the North Hills’ awareness week, each day represented a different cancer and students were told to wear a representative cancer color on that day. Cancers included childhood, colon, prostate, breast, and melanoma (skin).


"It went over so well. I was not expecting as much support as we got," Margot said. She said there was a “sea of black" in the school during melanoma awareness day.


Sarah said that the work is worth it if their peers learn "that they are not alone when someone they know is affected by cancer, that everyone shares their stories."

Read more about it here.

Did You Know About Cervical Cancer with Hispanic-Americans?

Did you know?

• Hispanic-American women are twice as likely to develop cervical cancer as Caucasian women.
• Unlike Caucasians and African-Americans, cancer is the leading cause of death among Hispanic-Americans because of statistically lower incomes and reduced access to healthcare.
• Hispanic-Americans have lower cancer screening rates, which means the disease is more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage when it’s less curable.
• Despite the fact that cervical cancer could be prevented with regular Pap smears, often Hispanic-American women don’t go back to the doctor after an abnormal result.
• HPV vaccination rates in Hispanic-American girls trail behind Caucasians: 

:...with almost 75 percent of white girls ages 13 to 17 completing the three-dose series compared to just under 70 percent of Hispanic girls, according to the CDC."

• Women in Mexico, Central and South America experience approximately triple the cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates of women in the U.S., largely because of a lack of access to screening.
• The highest rates of cervical cancer in the U.S. are among Hispanic-American women in the Midwest, probably because of new immigrants.

 Follow this link for more information. 

Gardasil Facts and Expectations

Most of us have probably seen the Gardasil commercials. They feature vaccination shots for young women in order to avoid contracting human papillomavirus (HPV), specifically types 6, 11, 16 and 18. HPV is a common cause for cervical cancer.

The vaccination does not treat existing infection, though women who test positive for the infection can still take it as a preventative measure against the sexually transmitted strains of the disease. An estimated 90 percent of genital warts cases are caused from types 6 and 11. An estimated 70 percent of cervical cancers are caused from types 16 and 18, in addition to most HPV-induced vulva, vaginal, anal, and penile cancers.

For maximum effect, young girls who are not yet sexually active should undergo the vaccination. However, young women are able to take it as well, but not past 26 years old because clinical trials found that it was not effective between the ages of 27-45. Also, the vaccination is not meant as a substitute for annual Pap smears.

Gardasil's side effects are similar to most other vaccinations. The side effects include:

• pain, swelling, itching, bruising, and redness at the injection site
• headache
• fever
• nausea
• dizziness
• vomiting
• fainting

Those commercials also don’t tell you three things:

1. Men can also take Gardasil. For them, it provides protection against anal cancer, genital warts, and some HPV-induced precancerous lesions and penile cancer. The same age range exists for men as for women, between the age of 9-26.
2. The vaccination has three installments. You’ll get the first, then the second two months later, and the third six months after that.
3. The shots burn. They are administered with a tiny, thin needle that only causes a small prick (especially if your nurse practitioner punches a portion of your skin first, as seen in the photo above), but the serum burns as it spreads. The good news is that the pain fades after a minute or so, and all you’ll have to deal with is the typical soreness around the injection area after any regular shot.

Gardasil is covered by Select Plan for Women. So if you don’t have health insurance yet, that’s not a problem. Ask your local Adagio Health facilities or free clinics about it and get protected. 

5 Easy Steps to Prevent Cervical Cancer

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month may be over, but that doesn’t mean the awareness should stop. Cervical cancer is easily detectable and most women survive it if detected early. Below are five methods you can use to prevent cervical cancer. Follow this link for more information.  

Cervical cancer occurs when cells in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus, become malignant. More than 12,000 new cases are diagnosed every year in the U.S., and more than 4,000 women die from the cervical cancer each year. 

But there’s good news, too: Because cervical cancer is slow growing, the disease is highly treatable and curable.  Here are five easy steps you and your loved ones can take to prevent cervical cancer: 

1. Get ScreenedEarly detection is essential to successful treatment of cervical cancer, so having a Pap test is the very best way to find out if something’s not right. You can schedule affordable women’s wellness exams on Sprig Health for as low as $135. 

2. Know Your Risk FactorsAccording to the American Cancer Society, the most important risk factor for cervical cancer is infection from human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common sexually transmitted virus. (A simple test when during a women’s wellness exam can determine if you have it). Other factors that can increase your risk include smoking, using birth control pills for five or more years, and giving birth to three or more children. If any of these risk factors apply to you, your doctor may recommend more frequent screenings. 

3. Get Vaccinated for HPVIf you’re under 26, schedule to get an appointment to get an HPV vaccine, which can protect you against the most common forms of the virus. If you’re over 26, please encourage younger loved ones (both boys and girls) to get vaccinated. Learn more about HPV vaccines 

4. Quit SmokingStudies have found that smoking cigarette increases the risk of developing many cancers, including cervical cancer. When combined with HPV infection, smoking can actually accelerate the spread of cervical cancer, so quitting smoking is the way to go. Sprig offers a great smoking cessation program that can help you kick the habit for good. 

5. Eat  SuperfoodsA great way to lower your cancer risk by eating foods that are known to reduce free radicals in the body. Blueberries, squash, bell peppers, cherries, salmon are loaded with cancer-fighting properties, so they can help slow or stop the process that turns normal cervical cells into cancerous ones. 

If you’ve been putting it off, please make this the month that you take steps to protect yourself against cervical cancer. Talk to your health care provider, get tested, and encourage the women in your life to do the same.

Quick Facts about HPV and Cervical Cancer

January is almost over. After all the awareness campaigning and posts by multiple organizations, how much more do you know about cervical cancer or HPV?

In case you’re still a bit confused, below is a list of general facts about HPV and cervical cancer.

• It is estimated that 20 million Americans currently carry the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted virus that leads to cervical cancer.
• About 12,000 women in the U.S. are prone to cervical cancer each year.
• It is preventable if detected early, and the rate of cure is very high.
• It usually occurs in midlife
• It is not common among younger women and girls, but does happen.
• More than 20 percent of cases are found in women over 65.
• Hispanic women are more prone to it, followed by African-Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, and Caucasians.
• The Pap test detects pre-cancerous cells and cancerous cells in the cervix.
• An HPV vaccination program is recommended for 11- 26-year-olds. 
• In addition to having HPV, other factors that may increase chances of contracting cervical cancer are smoking, having HIV, using birth control pills for a long time, or giving birth to at least three children.
• Once diagnosed with cervical cancer, patients should ask for a reference to a gynecologic oncologist, who will frame the treatment plan.
• A colonoscopy or a cervical biopsy may be advised to study the cervix closely.

Follow this link for more information. 

Cervical Cancer Awareness Facts

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Cervical cancer is one of the easiest cancers to detect if a woman has yearly pelvic exams and Pap smears. It can often be successfully treated when it’s caught early.

But what is it?

Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells on the cervix grow out of control. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. Cervical cancer can often be successfully treated when it's found early. It is usually found at a very early stage through a Pap test. 

What causes cervical cancer?Most cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomavirus, or HPV. You can get HPV by having sexual contact with someone who has it. There are many types of the HPV virus. Not all types of HPV cause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any symptoms. 

You can have HPV for years and not know it. It stays in your body and can lead to cervical cancer years after you were infected. This is why it is important for you to have regular Pap tests. A Pap test can find changes in cervical cells before they turn into cancer. If you treat these cell changes, you may prevent cervical cancer. 

What are the symptoms?Abnormal cervical cell changes rarely cause symptoms. But you may have symptoms if those cell changes grow into cervical cancer. Symptoms of cervical cancer may include:

• Bleeding from the vagina that is not normal, or a change in your menstrual cycle that you can't explain.
• Bleeding when something comes in contact with your cervix, such as during sex or when you put in a diaphragm.
• Pain during sex.
• Vaginal discharge that is tinged with blood. 

How is it treated?The treatment for most stages of cervical cancer includes:

• Surgery, such as a hysterectomy and removal of pelvic lymph nodes with or without removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes.
• Chemotherapy.
• Radiation therapy.

The more you know about it, the more you can be aware and keep tabs on yourself. Trust what your body is trying to tell you and get checked by a doctor regularly. “… Knowing is half the battle.”

Follow this link for more information. 

My Wonderful Nightmare

Erin Higgins was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 31 years old. During the next two and a half years, she kept journals and worked with holistic health practitioner Alma Lightbody. After her death, Lightbody followed Higgins’ wishes and compiled the journals into the new memoir “My Wonderful Nightmare: Spiritual Journals Inspired by Cancer.”

Readers will discover with Higgins her shocking cancer diagnosis and face with her the questions about her very existence. Readers will also see Higgins’ arguments with herself about her spirituality and her life.

An excerpt from “My Wonderful Nightmare”:

“We’ve never been taught to listen to our body and it’s tragic. I somehow knew the results of the surgery before they told me. If I had been more in tune with my body I would have known earlier. I hadn’t paid attention and didn’t know how.”

“There is a lot to learn about life and death and everything in between,” Lightbody says. “Many people never reach the depth of inner understanding that Erin shares as she faces the beast head-on.”

“My Wonderful Nightmare”
By Erin Higgins & Alma Lightbody
Trafford Publishing

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 196 pages | ISBN 9781425187255
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Follow this link to read more about it.