Submitted by Healthy Savannah
Jan. 2, 2025\ – Healthy Savannah and the Chatham County Health Department are partnering to offer a cervical cancer awareness and screening event on January 23rd at the health department clinic at 1395 Eisenhower Drive. Cervical cancer kills thousands of women each year, but many of these deaths can be prevented through vaccination and screening. In the United States, about 11,500 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed every year and about 4,000 women die of this cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“The tragedy of cervical cancer is that its detrimental consequences are almost entirely preventable due to the accessibility and efficacy of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine,” said Krystal Sharp, Adult Health supervisor at Chatham County Health Department and community advisory board member for CHC: Creating Healthier Communities. “But the stigma surrounding this topic from negative stereotypes and misconceptions about HPV can lead to fear of rejection, shame, and judgment causing some people to be less receptive to being vaccinated.”
January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and in conjunction, Healthy Savannah has launched a campaign to help dispel the stigma surrounding the disease. The organization is encouraging prevention and early detection through vaccinations, regular screenings, and education about cervical health.
Supported by CHC funding, Healthy Savannah will join with the Chatham County Health Department to present a health fair at its Eisenhower location from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan 23. The event will include door prizes, drawings and opportunities to learn about healthy living. A health clinic will also be available for those who wish to be screened for cervical cancer via pap smear or receive the HPV vaccine. The Health Department is located at 1395 Eisenhower Dr, Savannah, GA 31406. NOTE: Community members interested in receiving a pap smear/cervical cancer screening should arrive no later than 5:30 p.m. Please bring an unexpired photo ID. Screening is available for people aged 21 and older.
Healthy Savannah has also developed a social media campaign and is placing informative signage on Chatham Area Transit buses, both of which encourage getting the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.
“Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers that can be prevented,” said Dr. Elsie Smalls, HPV Vaccination Equity Initiative Program manager. “HPV causes more than 90% of cervical cancers, but the HPV vaccine reduces the risk of developing cancer and aids the body’s immune system in recognizing and eliminating the virus. Screenings can also detect pre-cancerous cells, and early treatment can prevent the development of cervical cancer.”
Healthy Savannah was awarded a CHC grant in February 2024 to elevate awareness of the HPV vaccine as a preventable measure against certain HPV related cancers, including cervical cancer, in Savannah/Chatham County. The goal is to provide prevention information related to HPV and increase the number of individuals who access the HPV vaccine.
The HPV vaccine protects against the types of viral strands that most often cause cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, and throat/mouth cancers. The CDC says HPV vaccination is recommended for preteens aged 11 to 12 years but can be given starting at age 9 up through age 26. The CDC says it is also possible for those up to age 45 to benefit from the vaccine after consulting with their doctor.
The CDC also recommends that women start getting Pap tests at age 21. Pap smears and HPV co-testing can aid with early detection of cervical cancer and the screening can be performed in a doctor’s office and most health clinics.
For more information on Healthy Savannah’s HPV Vaccination Equity Initiative, visit https://healthysavannah.org/our-programs/adult-immunization/hpv/
ABOUT THE HEALTHY SAVANNAH HPV VACCINATION EQUITY INITIATIVE
In February 2024, CHC: Creating Healthier Communities awarded a one-year $150,000 grant to Healthy Savannah to promote vaccine equity to prevent cancer and support new and expanded community-driven solutions to address social and other factors that negatively impact access to cancer prevention interventions for disproportionately affected populations in the Savannah area. Specifically, the grant supports Healthy Savannah’s initiatives in developing, implementing, and bringing resources and policy attention to solutions that break down barriers of mistrust in the healthcare system, skepticism of vaccine effectiveness and lack of awareness about vaccine access, as well as the availability of prevention interventions for certain cancers. Healthy Savannah is one of only three organizations across the state of Georgia to be awarded this grant and has adapted its award-winning Community Health Advocate (CHA) program, working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, to foster sustainable health equity in this space. Healthy Savannah developed the CHA program during the first of two five-year CDC Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grants it currently administers with the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. The methodology uses an “upstream” approach to foster sustainable health equity among racial and ethnic minority populations in low-wealth neighborhoods in areas of nutrition, physical activity and the reduction of chronic diseases. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.