What Your Child's Vomiting May Mean

How A 12-year-old Is Raising Awareness For Preventing Cervical Cancer

Juliana Montealegre wants people to know about the vaccine that can prevent it.

February is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, and nearly all cases are caused by infections with the human papillomavirus. But cervical cancer is both preventable and curable.

In 6th grade, while many preteen boys and girls are focused on their hobbies and friends, Juliana Montealegre is thinking about her health.

"At my age, you can get an HPV vaccine, so if you get that chance, you just have to take it because it would be a lot worse if you didn't," she said. 

At just 12 years old, Juliana recently attended a cervical  cancer summit and is now leading the way to help raise awareness about the human papillomavirus and how getting the vaccine can help prevent it.

"When I got it, I was like, it's just a normal vaccine, but I didn't realize how much it could help," Juliana said. 

"The HPV vaccine is the first immunization we have against cancer," said Dr. Georgina F. Amaral with UT Physicians. "It's incredibly important for young women especially, and the best window of opportunity is for both boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 12 years old."

"The intent of that age is to give the vaccine prior to a boy or girl's sexual debut," said Dr. Katelyn F. Handley with UT Physicians. "So before their body has encountered HPV or the human papillomavirus, we want to prepare their bodies to be able to fight it off so they never see that infection to begin with."

Dr. Georgina Amaral and Dr. Handley, both gynecologists, are advocates of the HPV vaccine and offer insight for those with concerns.

"We have a proven track record for both safety and efficacy for this vaccine," Dr. Amaral said. 

"The vaccine actually prevents cancer," Dr. Handley added. "It has at least an 85% efficacy in preventing cervical cancer and has the potential to eradicate this cancer."

The HPV vaccine is focused on nine strains. Depending on your age and situation, it's a series of shots ranging from one to three doses spaced roughly six to 12 months apart. 

And as Juliana will tell you, a little sting is worth the reward.

"When I got it, it kind of hurt, but like the next day it hurt more," Juliana said, though she added that it's just like a regular vaccine.

"HPV or human papillomavirus is nearly ubiquitous," Dr. Handley said. "Eighty percent of men and women will be infected with at least one strain, at least once within their lifetime. And most of the time, our bodies can fight off this infection just like any other virus, but if it persists, that can lead to precancerous changes in the cells of the cervix, which can then lead to cervical cancer."

These doctors have an important message that such a prevalent virus can be thwarted for boys and girls with a simple poke.

KHOU 11's Health Matters is sponsored by UT Physicians

With Vaccines And Screenings, Cervical Cancer Is PreventableOpinion

One of the most preventable — and treatable — diseases is cervical cancer. With a vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes 99% of cervical cancer cases, and with regular screenings, we can significantly increase life expectancy in women who are prone to this preventable disease.

January has been Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, when we work to spread the message that screenings can save lives. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women get a pap test every three years starting at age 21. But the lack of early detection, particularly among women of color, remains a pressing challenge in South Florida, where nearly 100,000 women are uninsured or lack access to consistent, reliable health care.

Courtesy of The Promise Fund

Nancy G. Brinker founded the Susan G. Komen (Race for a Cure) and the Promise Fund. (courtesy, Nancy G. Brinker)

According to the American Cancer Society, cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women. The good news is that the death rate has dropped by more than half since the mid-1970s because of prevention and screening. However, the death rate in Black women and Native American women is about 65% higher than in white women.

In addition to lack of awareness, many women encounter barriers to screening and diagnosis due to work commitments, childcare, lack of transportation and fear of the costs. Promise Fund, the West Palm Beach-based nonprofit I co-founded, works daily to reach the tens of thousands of women in Palm Beach, Broward and Martin counties who are uninsured, underinsured or have limited or no access to health care. We are dedicated to increasing survivorship from cervical cancer and breast cancer by providing guided support and access to screenings, as well as early detection and treatment.

Our Promise Fund Women's Health Program is located in community-based health centers that provide primary care to underserved populations. Here, we provide access to pap smears and HPV testing to detect cervical cancer, mammography and breast ultrasounds and access to treatment for cancer if needed. Our dedicated patient navigators are there every step of the way, guiding women through the screening process and coordinating treatment if a cancer diagnosis is made — so no one faces it alone.

Promise Fund has arranged for nearly 5,000 no-cost pap and HPV tests over the past four years, and we have significantly increased the number of women being screened and who receive the HPV vaccine. While a number of women we've serviced have been diagnosed with cervical cancer, we have been able to arrange for treatment for every single one of them. This is why we do what we do.

So, this month, and every month, our message is simple: Get screened! And if you don't know how, reach out to us through ThePromiseFund.Org and we can help. Let's tackle cervical cancer in our community so that every woman has a chance to survive.

Nancy G. Brinker is co-founder of Promise Fund, based in West Palm Beach. She is a former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary and a 2009 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work in bringing global awareness to the breast cancer movement. She also serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control for the United Nations' World Health Organization. She founded the Susan G. Komen Foundation and is a New York Times best-selling author for her memoir, "Promise Me."

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