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
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