HPV Prevention Week 2018: Spread the Message, Not the Infection
From left: Dr. Vivien Brown, FMWC Chair HPV Prevention Week; Hon. Sonia Sidhu, Liberal MP; Dr. Jenny Blake, SOCG CEO; Hon. Peter Kent, PC MP Thornhill; and Liz Ellwood founder Fertile Future and co-founder Fertility Match Canada
It's HPV Prevention Week!
Canada is a leader in HPV prevention. We were the first country to establish an HPV Prevention Week, in 2017, designed to raise awareness about the human papillomavirus (HPV) and the cancers related to this most common of sexually transmitted diseases. This marks 2018 as the second annual HPV Prevention Week and we are excited to be hosting this campaign along with our many partners in the Canadian health and social services sector such as the Society for Gynecologists and Obstetricians and Immunize Canada to mention just a couple. Check out our partners listed on the website for more examples.
HPV is a common sexually transmitted disease that up to 75% of the population will contract at some time during their lifetime if they are sexually active. Of this 75%, some will go on to develop one or more HPV-related cancers: almost all cervical cancers in women, 80-90% of anal cancers; 25 – 35% of oropharyngeal (throat and mouth) cancers; and cancers of the reproductive tract, such as vulvar and vaginal cancers as well as penile cancers.
Hon. Peter Kent, MP for Thornhill, takes a shot against HPV.
In this year's campaign we're asking people to participate in our Take Shots Against HPV social media challenge. Grab a hockey stick, puck, net and your camera and a friend who can use it and take a pic of you "taking a shot against HPV". Post your pic online to your social media accounts and tag 3 friends and challenge them to take a shot at HPV. The campaign continues until October 7th.
Dr. Susan McFaul, FMWC Chair, PAP Campaign taking a shot against HPV
FMWC event hosts Dr. Vivien Brown, Chair, HPV Prevention Week and Dr. Susan McFaul, Chair of the PAP Campaign, were joined by SOGC CEO Dr. Jenny Blake at Parliament Hill to kick off the week-long campaign. Hockey nets, sticks and pucks were set up on the Hill and people were encouraged to take their shot at HPV prevention.
There's a website dedicated to helping you get the word out. Check out https://www.canadavshpv.ca/ for information on HPV Prevention Week, along with resources and materials to share with your friends and followers on social media. Let's start talking today about the importance of HPV prevention in saving lives from HPV-related cancers tomorrow.
Spread the message, not the infection.