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New program aims to educate women about cervical cancer

Posted January 16, 2008 10:00 pm

Meagan Sexton

Kyla Travis wants to give hope to women battling cervical cancer. At 28, she had just given birth to her son when she was diagnosed with the disease.

"I was very fortunate. They caught it in the early stages. … I had my cervix removed, and I was cured," she said. "I was blessed. The follow-up showed no signs of cancer, and it hasn't come back. I want to help other people survive."

The 50-year-old Springfield resident was one of approximately 30 women who met Wednesday to launch the Illinois Women Against Cervical Cancer Program. Its goal is to eliminate cervical cancer by having trained advocates educate women in their communities about preventive measures.

The Urban Leagues of Springfield, Tri-County (Peoria) and Champaign County will lead the first phase of the program, which is being funded by the Illinois Public Health Association and the Illinois Department of Public Health Center for Minority Health Services.

The IPHA received a $50,000 grant from Merck & Co. Pharmaceuticals, manufacturers of the Gardasil vaccine, that was matched by the state.

"We think that's sufficient to do the demonstration project in the three cities," said Jim Nelson, executive director of the IPHA.

"Our programs are pretty much educational. The purpose is to make sure that people understand. My experience has been if you have a program that is well planned with good content and a clear purpose, there is a very strong chance of it being successful."

Doris Turner, who is the head of the Center for Minority Health Services, said, "We are starting this pilot working with these three Urban League affiliates specifically targeting African-American and Hispanic women."

A successful program could mean expansion into more communities next year, she said.

Annie Gordon, retired director of employment programs for the Tri-County Urban League, got called back to work on this project.

"The Urban League's programs have long been education, employment and counseling, and this niche can work quite well with what we already have," Gordon said.

She said the Tri-County Urban League plans to target its current clients, the faith-based community and sorority groups.

Ann Locke, AmeriCorps volunteer and project coordinator for the IPHA, said Illinois has the fifth-highest rate of cervical cancer in the United States. She also noted that African-American women are 50 percent more likely to die from it.

"Each one of those numbers represents a real person. They represent our sisters, our mothers and our friends," Locke told the trainees.

The Pap test has significantly reduced the number of cervical cancer cases in the United States since its introduction in the 1950s. But many women still do not regularly receive the test, which can detect the disease at an early, treatable stage.

"Women think, 'I don't feel bad, so why should I get a Pap smear?' So, the misconception is if you don't feel bad or don't know anyone that feels bad, why should you?" Dr. Deleshia Kinney said. "For a lot of uneducated, lower socio-economic communities, it always takes that scare - 'Mom got it, so I have to go.' Those are the people that typically get testing done. It's not that they don't want to. They don't feel that it's important."

Kinney, of Springfield, explained that if women wait until the point where they are having abdominal symptoms or pelvic pain, the disease is usually in its later stages.

Cervical cancer comes from a common virus known as human papillomavirus (HPV).

"HPV takes about five to 15 years to develop into actual cancer," Kinney said. "Get your yearly Pap smears, get your HPV test that is now offered. It is one of the most preventable cancers, and that is not always the case with cancer."

Meagan Sexton can be reached at (217) 782-6882.

Mortality stats

8,604 - number of women in Illinois who were diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer in 2003.

2,057 - number of women who died from one of those diseases that year.

9,000 - estimated number of Illinois women who will be diagnosed this year.

1,700 - the approximate number who will die.

 

Source: Illinois Department of Public Health

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