Cyclists Gears Up To Rally for Cervical Cancer Prevention on May 28

Since I started blogging for public relations, the advocacy that  I blogged most is cervical cancer. I may be a guy but as a heterosexual oriented person, this concerns me too because I have many women in my life like my mother, my two sisters, my girlfriend, and now, my niece as well. As the only man in the family, it is my obligation to protect these people I care about. This is were BraveHearts come in. To know about their campaign, here are the details in their press release.

Cyclists Rally for Cervical Cancer Prevention on May 28         

The Tour of Hope Bikers

How far would you go to save 500 women?

For the dedicated cyclists of the upcoming “Tour of Hope 2011- 00: Going the Xtra Mile Against Cervical Cancer,” it will take 500 kilometers in 5 days. They will undertake the challenging 5-day journey from Manila to Laoag in order to help raise funds for cervical cancer prevention vaccination drives and seminars.

“What makes this year’s Tour of Hope different is that we are going to vaccinate a total of 500 women during the tour,” explains Abbygale Arenas-de Leon, Bravehearts president. “We wanted the tour to be more than just a way to spread awareness about cervical cancer prevention. We hope this will inspire more women to take action against this deadly but preventable disease.”

Recently, the exciting details of the biggest anti-cervical cancer were revealed at the official launch of this year’s Tour of Hope, which was organized by Bravehearts in partnership with Team David’s Salon and GlaxoSmithKline. The event was held at R.O.X., the biggest outdoor sports and recreation hub in Southeast Asia and hosted by celebrity athlete Tricia Chiongbian-Concepcion, who will also be cycling to help save women from cervical cancer in the Tour of Hope.

In a country where cervical cancer claims the lives of 12 women everyday[1], the need to fight this disease has only become more urgent over the years.

“I would like to encourage women to be screened for cervical cancer regularly,” said Dr. Cecilia Llave, Program Director of the Cervical Cancer Prevention Network (CECAP). “The disease is treatable through early detection. In fact, not only is it treatable, it can also be avoided by living a healthy lifestyle and getting vaccinated.”

 

Since The Tour of Hope started in 2008, it has generated approximately Php 2 million through sponsorships and pledges. These were then used for cervical cancer screening programs and lectures with the Cervical Cancer Prevention Network (CECAP).

However, if you think that The Tour of Hope is all about the bikers, think again. Over the past two years, the event organizers have formed partnerships with local government units such as those of Tarlac, Dagupan, Pampanga, La Union, and Baguio in order to conduct lectures during each stopover of the tour to local communities with marginalized groups who display poor health-seeking behavior.

What’s in Store for The Tour of Hope 2011

Team David's Salon led by David Charlton with Tessa Prieto-Valdes

Aside from the challenging journey, The Tour of Hope has always been known for bringing its participants to scenic locations such as Vigan, Zambales, and Camarines Sur. This year is no exception. The Tour of Hope 2011 - 500: Going the Xtra Mile Against Cervical Cancer will kick off at the TriNoma Mall in Quezon City on May 28, 2011.

The first stop will be at Tarlac City, Tarlac. It is the home of President Noynoy Aquino’s ancestral house and Mount Pinatubo, where adventure-seeking 4x4 wheel drivers try their skills, and hikers visit the crater. The tour will then continue to San Fernando, La Union, where the renowned La Union Botanical Gardens is located. Afterwards, the bikers will head to Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, where historical churches and ancestral homes that reflect the beauty of old world architecture can be found. The fourth stop will be Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, where tourists often visit the Juan Luna Shrine. There, visitors can get a glimpse of the award-winning Spolarium painter’s life through vintage photographs and household artifacts. The final stop for this year’s Tour of Hope is Paoay, where bikers will get to see the unique blend of Spanish, Chinese, and architecture represented by Paoay Church, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The last leg of the tour will feature celebrity bikers such as Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal, Marvin Kiefer, Rovilson Fernandez, Troy Montero, Aubrey Miles, Will Devaughn, Richie Hardin, Richard Herrera, Janna Victoria, Gem Padilla, Anthony Pangilinan, and David Charlton. They will be lending their star power to draw attention to a good cause. In addition, Tessa Prieto-Valdes is currently working on a special project that will also help raise funds for cervical cancer prevention.

 

As part of the preparations for the upcoming Tour of Hope, there will also be a Mini Tour of Hope that will be held on May 7 at Filinvest, Alabang. This is a great way for biking enthusiasts to show their support for the anti-cervical cancer advocacy, and everyone is invited to join.

“On behalf of Bravehearts, I’d like to encourage everyone to join the fight against cervical cancer,” Abbygale Arenas-de Leon said. “For all the women, do it for your families and loved ones. And for all the men, I encourage you to support the cervical cancer prevention advocacy for your mothers, sisters, and daughters. With your help, thousands of lives can be saved.”

Bravehearts is a non-profit organization initially led by the Cervical Cancer Prevention Network (CECAP) for the Cancer Institute Foundation (CIF). It is dedicated to raising awareness on cervical cancer prevention and is supported by a growing number of women, including prominent personalities such as Abbygale Arenas-de Leon, who is the current president of the organization, Senator Loren Legarda, Pia Magalona, Ellen Tordesillas, Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Jeena Lopez, Maimai Davao, Joyette Jopson, and Suzi Entrata. For further inquiries, please email braveheartsphilippines@gmail.com. To be a part of The Tour of Hope 2011 – 500: Going the Xtra Mile Against Cervical Cancer, please email Joyette Jopson at joyette.jopson@gmail.com or contact her at 0917-8827352

GSK and Local Government Teamed Up For Cervical Cancer Advocacy

San Fernando City Hall

September 6, 2010. San Fernando, Pampanga. 500 health workers in Pampanga were recognized for their modern act of heroism. To reward their acts, they will be given free cervical cancer vaccine. This is also in line for the local government of San Fernando to celebrate their Women's Week.

First recipient of the vaccines

For women, second to breast cancer, cervical cancer is the second most common female cancer in the Philippines today according to the Department of Health. Known as a silent killer because of it's lack of symptoms, one of the known effects of cervical cancer is pelvic pain and bleeding in the woman's genital area after sexual contact. An estimated 7,277 new cases are reported every year – a number that is said to inaccurately represent the whole population, considering that the surveys to determine the estimate were conducted only in Rizal, Cebu, and Davao. There are estimated cases of 12 deaths daily in the Philippines due to cervical cancer. One of the ways to detect cervical cancer is through pap smear procedure. Cervical cancer is caused by human papilloma virus infection or HPV and it can be transmitted between skin-to-skin contact in the genital area. It can be also be transmitted if the family already had history of cervical cancer. However, the cervical cancer vaccine is not a guarantee of eliminating cervical cancer but prevention because it only produces antibodies. I may sound preachy here but another thing to prevent cervical cancer is not being involved sexually with more than one partner. Even wearing condoms is not a guarantee. It's not because of values but abstinence or to wait after getting married is still the best logical solution.

A "badge" for Cervical Cancer vaccine

However, the vaccination for cervical cancer doesn't come cheap. Since lives are at stake, the local government of San Fernando, with the leadership of Mayor Oscar Rodriguez partnered with GlaxoSmithKline Philippines since they also share the same advocacy to rid of cervical cancer. At the grounds of San Fernando City Hall during the opening of their Women's Week Festivities, the city halls officials were oriented and briefed about cervical cancer by Rural Health Director, Dr. Rey delos Reyes. Celebrity Cervical Cancer advocate Pia Magalona graced us with her presence and also shared her insights about cervical cancer. Besides vaccination, education in health care is also a priority. The Women's Week is about empowering women and the advocacy for cervical cancer just fit in for this festivities. This is a great initiative from one local government for others to follow example from it. At the event, I also witnessed an actual cervical cancer vaccination there given to a local San Fernando youth. It only took few minutes for it to make an injection using a disposable syringe. Then, she was applied the trademark band aid for the injected area .A pain from the needle is a small price to pay for assurance of prevention of cervical cancer. Then, everyone, especially the women present were given brochures containing information about cervical cancer and a customized baller band from Laban Ni Maria, a group dedicated to cervical cancer advocacy.

Promoting Awareness

This initiative can be promoted further if you can have the same initiative to participate for others to follow and the first step is to get yourself educated. There's a saying from one of my childhood cartoons series, "And knowing is half a battle." The scary part of this is that half of the number of cases may die within 5 years because not all women were educated on how to protect themselves from the disease. Time maybe is not on your side if you are ignorant to this until it is too late. Another thing to do is go to your nearest health center or consult your family doctor. If you are a student, talk to your school physician. You can also suggest this to your local baranggay council as a start. If you have a position in school, office, government, church, organization, or any institution you are affiliated with, you can also initiate the same program.

Knowing about cervical cancer

As a man, I may be immune from cervical cancer but it can also affect my love ones. It may be my mother, my sisters, my girlfriend, my niece in the future or any friends and relatives that I know and it could also be someone you know and cared about. The important thing here is to also show concern and support in any way we can do to help them out. It is important that we seat this one and talk about it. Most of the time, it always pays to listen.

San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez during press briefing about cervical cancer

More Facts about Cervical Cancer:

510, 000  World Health Organization’s (WHO) estimate of new cervical cancer cases annually worldwide.

288, 000  yearly deaths around the world because of cervical cancer.

80  percent of cervical cancer cases found in developing countries in the world.
(Information From World Health Organization)

Click the link to know more about GSK's Cervical Cancer vaccine

To know more about GlaxoSmithKline Philippines

More information about cervical cancer

The Pink Movement:Dance vs. Cervical Cancer

July 24, 2010. Republiq, Resorts World. GlaxoSmithKline and Healthway partnered with Laban Ni Maria and Brainbox, Inc. for the biggest all-girl dance competition for the cervical cancer advocacy. Girls from 21 schools and 16 dance studios participated to support the advocacy. Hosted by Iya Villania, JC Cuadrado, and DJ Suzy of Magic 89.9.

Iya Villania, JC Cuadrado, and DJ Suzy of Magic 89.9

 

Choreographer Georcelle Dapat-Sy teaches the moves

Cervical Cancer Fact Sheet 

Cervical Cancer by the Numbers

• 2   Cervical Cancer is the second biggest cause of female mortality globally
• 510, 000  World Health Organization’s (WHO) estimate of new cervical cancer cases annually worldwide
• 288, 000  yearly deaths around the world because of cervical cancer, according to WHO
• 80  percent of cervical cancer cases found in developing countries in the world
• 245, 000 estimated number of new cervical cancer cases found in Asia every year 

• 7, 277  estimated new cervical cancer cases every year in the Philippines according to survey done in Rizal, Cebu, and Davao by Department of Health (DOH)
• 12 estimated number of deaths (daily) in the Philippines due to cervical cancer
• 35 the age to start getting a Pap smear for women who have not engaged in vaginal intercourse
• 200 number of Human Papilloma Viruses (HPV) acknowledged to exist
• 15 number of HPV types said to be high-risk (cancer-causing)
• 16 & 18 HPV types which cause 70% of cervical cancer cases
• 45 3rd most common cancer-causing HPV types which is prevalent among Filipinas

No Woman Caught Unaware

Tick-tock. 2 hours have passed. A woman has just died from its deathly grip.

Tick-tock. In 2 more hours, one more Filipina will perish. And when the day is over, 12 would have fallen victim.

If you are a woman, take heed. Because this serial female killer is out there, waiting to strike. All around the world, it has killed millions of women already – and will likely kill the millions more who remain unaware that they could be the next target of this fatal female disease known as cervical cancer. 

According to the Department of Health, cervical cancer is considered the second most common female cancer in the Philippines today. An estimated 7,277 new cases are reported every year – a number that is said to inaccurately represent the whole population, considering that the surveys to determine the estimate were conducted only in Rizal, Cebu, and Davao. In any case, more than half of this number will die because of the disease within 5 years, simply because women are uneducated on how to protect themselves from the disease. 

An occurrence where the normal cells of the cervix turn cancerous, cervical cancer is usually caused by a chronic and persistent cancer-causing type of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection that leads to pre-malignant lesions that progress to cancer. Because the condition may take ten to thirty years to happen, there is a large window of opportunity to screen, detect, and diagnose the lesions before it becomes malignant. Visual Inspection of the cervix with Acetic Acid (VIA) and Pap smear help identify these lesions.  

But more than detection, prevention is also possible – using a relevant and effective vaccine that specifically targets the cause of cervical cancer, which is HPV, particularly types 16 and 18. 

Cervical Cancer Fact Sheet 

Cervical Cancer by the Numbers

• 2   Cervical Cancer is the second biggest cause of female mortality globally
• 510, 000  World Health Organization’s (WHO) estimate of new cervical cancer cases annually worldwide
• 288, 000  yearly deaths around the world because of cervical cancer, according to WHO
• 80  percent of cervical cancer cases found in developing countries in the world
• 245, 000 estimated number of new cervical cancer cases found in Asia every year 

• 7, 277  estimated new cervical cancer cases every year in the Philippines according to survey done in Rizal, Cebu, and Davao by Department of Health (DOH)
• 12 estimated number of deaths (daily) in the Philippines due to cervical cancer
• 35 the age to start getting a Pap smear for women who have not engaged in vaginal intercourse
• 200 number of Human Papilloma Viruses (HPV) acknowledged to exist
• 15 number of HPV types said to be high-risk (cancer-causing)
• 16 & 18 HPV types which cause 70% of cervical cancer cases
• 45 3rd most common cancer-causing HPV types which is prevalent among Filipinas

The clock is ticking. But with regular screening, cervical cancer vaccination and a healthy lifestyle, women can save themselves from cervical cancer before it’s too late. The next one could be someone you know. Could be your mother, daughter, grandmother, relative, or anyone close to you.

A public service announcement by GlaxoSmithKline(GSK)

GSK supports the advocacy to promote the welfare of women in prevention of cervical cancer.

Adobo Magazine is holding an Indie Filmfest To Raise Funds for Cervical Cancer Campaign

Cervical cancer is one of the health issues that affects women today. Most women are not educated how to prevent this because of lack of knowledge about cervical cancer. Adobo Magazine shares this campaign for awareness about cervical cancer but women who has cervical cancer may not able to afford treatment. The Indie filmfest, Adobo@Night, will be the means to make it happen. The outcome of this event will donate its proceeds to cervical cancer treatments. The films that will be viewed here will be the works of award-winning independent film makers of our generation such as Erik Matti and Raymond Red to name a few.Admission of the event is P200.00

Adobo@Night will begin on April 23-25 2010 6PM at On The Cue Roving Studio at Boho@8thAve., Taguig City

For ticket sales and inquiries,please contact  8450821 or 09228169617 or 09175826536 or email info@adobomagazine.com Visit Adobo Magazine's website http://www.adobomagazine.com/adoboatnight/

Blog4Reviews http://www.blog4reviews.com/ also shares this advocacy to promote the welfare of women with cervical cancer