January 7, 2004

Today, as an effort to raise awareness of ways to reduce deaths from cervical cancer, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm declared January 2004 as cervical cancer awareness month. Although cervical cancer can be prevented, treated and cured, many Michigan women suffer at the grips of this disease.

“Dedicating a full month to raising awareness of cervical cancer and its prevention methods is a true advancement to reducing deaths due to this disease,” said Janet Olszewski, Director of the Michigan Department of Community Health. “I personally urge all citizens to talk to women they care about and encourage them to seek regular screening for cervical cancer.”

Regular Pap Smear testing is the key to detection and prevention of cervical cancer. The Pap Smear test finds abnormal changes in cells before they become cancer. Through this source of early detection, this form of cancer is highly treatable. All women should obtain a Pap Smear annually if they have been sexually active for three years or are over the age of 21.

Physicians, family planning clinics, local health departments and Planned Parenthood of Michigan offer Pap Smears and referral services. The Michigan Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP) provides free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screening and follow-up services to eligible women.

For more information on these services, please call toll-free 800-922-6266.

The BCCCP and the Michigan Department of Community Health along with local health care providers and organizations have developed education sessions and activities to raise cervical cancer awareness.

Activities include:

Berrien County Health Department will do a media campaign in January to highlight the importance of screening for cervical cancer. The advertising includes billboards, posters and flyers, with a tagline of “A Woman Killer is Stalking Berrien County. Beat Cancer. Get a Pap Test.”

Suthwest Michigan BCCCP (Kalamazoo area) will be providing mailing labels of their BCCCP Providers and Supporters to the West Michigan Cancer Center to use to send out information on cervical cancer issues.

The Inter-Tribal Council, Inc. will submit articles to tribal newspapers and newsletters. The Council is also holding an outreach worker educational training with the Mayo Clinic in Marquette on January 12 through 14.

The Healthy Asian American Project (HAAP), based at the University of Michigan School of Nursing, will focus on three areas in January. First, project staff will review their goals for 2004, their working plans, and strategize for another successful year of BCCCP promotion. Second, in collaboration with local Asian American organizations, HAAP will promote the BCCCP during the Asian New Year, which is celebrated in January. Third, HAAP will submit a proposal to the National Institutes of Health to secure the funding to sustain its existing projects, in addition to other fund raising efforts.

In Delta and Menominee Counties, the local health department is planning a lobby display, press releases to local papers and arranged for the local radio station to air a Public Service Announcement promoting the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program.

The Sanilac County Health Department will be offering free cervical cancer screening. The health department will pay for them with grant funds.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) in Traverse City and in Bay County are doing radio, TV and newspaper press releases, with an offer of providing interviews. They are also developing a new flyer for Cervical Cancer Awareness. Traverse City American Cancer Society, the Alpena Cancer Center and District Health Departments #2 and #4 have formed The Northeast Michigan Cancer Coalition to provide public education, outreach and cancer screening. The public education and outreach will start in January.

District Health Department #10 and Northwest Community Health Agency are partnering with the American Cancer Society, Traverse City to provide public education and outreach. They will refer women to the BCCCP for screening.

The Bay County ACS, Huron County Health Department and District Health Department #2 will provide public education and outreach, and possibly schedule screening days in May.

The Genesee County Health Department will work on public education by airing Public Service Announcements promoting breast and cervical cancer screening on local media, and submitting an article in the local newspaper.

Pap and Cervical Cancer flyers and pamphlets will also be distributed in BCCCP and Family Planning clinics, to providers and within the community as well as through partner organizations i.e. cancer centers.