Cuidate. Armate. Educate. Latinas for Cervical Cancer Prevention Campaign

According to the American Cancer Society, there are approximately 10,000 cases and 3,700 deaths from cervical cancer in the U.S. per year.

 

The incidence of cervical cancer for Latina women in the United States is almost twice as high as non-Latina white women. Latina women have the 2nd highest mortality rate from cervical cancer (after black women).

 

Cervical cancer is very preventable. 85% of women who die from cervical cancer never had a pap smear (citation).

 

In June 2006, the FDA approved the first vaccine, Gardasil®, manufactured by Merck & Company, developed to prevent cervical cancer caused by four strains of HPV; two of which are responsible for 70% of cervical cancer incidences and two strains which are responsible for 90% of genital warts caused by HPV.

 

Campaign Wrap-Up!

Many of our Latina Advocacy Networks and other affiliated organizations around the country have been hosting great events related to the Cuídate. Ármate. Edúcate. Latinas for Cervical Cancer Prevention Campaign.

National Virtual Cafecito

Wednesday November 7: NLIRH hosted a conference call with over 30 participants from around the country to discuss cervical cancer, HPV and the vaccine.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

In collaboration with NARAL New Mexico, Ambrosia Ortiz coordinated a variety of cafecitos (informal discussions over coffee) about cervical cancer, HPV and the vaccine throughout November and December. These cafecitos also connected participants with resources about receiving free pap smears in their area.

Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota

Saturday, March 8th: In honor of International Women’s Day the Minnesota LOLA group tabled at Mercado Central, a local indoor Latino market. They gave out information about cervical cancer prevention, along with postcards and other materials. Congratulations to the MN group for their great outreach event!

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Wednesday March 26th: In collaboration with Congreso de Latinos Unidos and the Latino Health Federation, NLIRH partnered on an event entitled Una conversación: Addressing Latino health disparities, Cervical Cancer, Latinas and the HPV Vaccine where Executive Director Silvia Henriquez spoke about cervical cancer prevention and the Latino community, along with Dr. Donald F. Schwarz.

 

Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Saturday April 5th: Migrant Health Promotion, Planned Parenthood and Texas A&M University hosted a Women’s Health Festival, including a march. Their focus was cervical cancer prevention, and the community organizations gave out health information.

Thank you to all the great activists, advocates and colleagues who have partnered with us on this campaign so far! With your help we have also distributed almost 10,000 bilingual cervical cancer prevention postcards!

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

1. CUÍDATE
Take care of yourself and the women in your life. Make sure you get regular pap smears and screenings for sexually transmitted infections.

Help the women in your community access reproductive health care services. Create a resource guide to help women get pap smears and learn how to get the HPV vaccine.

2. ÁRMATE
Ensure that you and others in your community are armed with the important tools needed to prevent cervical cancer. Support initiatives on the local and state level that expand public funding for cervical cancer screenings and access to the HPV vaccine.

Use the Cuídate. Ármate. Edúcate. Postcard and spread the word about cervical cancer prevention. Send the postcard to your friends, family and local decision makers (teachers, neighbors, local officials, community leaders) and start the discussion about cervical cancer and HPV.

3. EDÚCATE
Educate yourself about cervical cancer and HPV, and share that information with the people in your life, family and community.

Host a cafecito and invite community members to talk about cervical cancer, HPV and the vaccine. See the Cafecito guide for more information and tips for your cafecito.

RESOURCES

Materials: Click on the title to download as a PDF

Human Papillomavirus, Cervical Cancer and HPV Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions (Spanish)

Latinas and Cervical Cancer Fact Sheet (Spanish)

NLIRH Statement on the HPV vaccine (Spanish)

 

Cervical Cancer Prevention Postcards: We have created postcards that can be used as public education tools (in English and in Spanish). You can see a copy of the postcard here. If you would like to request postcards, please email miriam@latinainstitute.org.

 

Campaign Action Kit: These materials can help you plan your own events and participate in the campaign. Click here to download the entire action kit, or click on the individual materials above.

 

Last updated 5/15/08