There is a growing awareness about cervical cancer, thanks to massive campaigns in the country featuring many high profile women, including Presidential sister and TV host Kris Aquino and businesswoman Cristalle Henares of the Belo Group.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in the country. Every year, about 6,000 Filipinas are diagnosed with cervical cancer. an estimated 12 Filipinas die of deadly disease on a daily basis. Worldwide, about half a million women are diagnosed with cervical cancer.

The good news is that it is a highly preventable disease, thanks to lifestyle modification. The first step in battling this disease is to raise awareness, to make the many women vulnerable to the disease more aware of the symptoms and causes of the cancer.

Cervical cancer is caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), specifically type 16 and 18. some factors that have been shown as conducive to the development of this deadly cancer are early sexual intercourse, unprotected sex with multiple partners, having sex with a partner who engages in sexual intercourse with other women and other high risk sexual activities, smoking and low social economic status. The transmission of the HPV virus is the most common sexually transmitted virus among women.

Vaginal bleeding is a sign of an HPV infection or cervical cancer. other symptoms include pelvic pain, loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss, as well as leg and back pain. If left untreated, it can develop into other malignant forms of cancer of the cervix, vulva, and other parts of the body. it can affect a woman’s fertility.

This May is Cervical Cancer Awareness and Prevention month. Sponsored by the Department of Health, there will be free nationwide medical screening for this disease. With a simple pap smear, early detection of the disease can be done to increase the rate of a successful recovery.

Touted at “Babae! Mahalaga Ka!” the free screening will commence at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila and will be available at 58 government health centers all over the country.

Free screening is every Monday for women of Metro Manila, Wednesdays for the rest of Luzon, Tuesdays for Mindanao residents and Wednesday for those who live in the Visayas region. The free screening is open to women aged 30 to 45 years of age.

Regional kick-off gatherings are also set at the  Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, and Davao Medical Center.

For the list of DOH-retained hospitals, go to www2.doh.gov.ph/doh_retained_hospital.htm. for more information on cervical cancer and other HPV diseases, go to helpfightHPV.com

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