January 01, 2026
WHEREAS, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 13,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and more than 4,000 women die as a result; and,
WHEREAS, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) report that the five-year survival rate of individuals diagnosed with cervical cancer is 67.4%, but it is 91.2% when the cancer is detected early; and
WHEREAS, cervical cancer incidence rates and death rates are still higher among certain populations in the United States compared to others, according to NIH, largely due to limited access to cervical cancer screening and quality healthcare and
WHEREAS, the results from a simple HPV test and Pap test can be used to help prevent cervical cancer or detect cervical cancer in its earliest and most curable stages; and
WHEREAS, patient advocacy organizations like Cervivor, inspire and empower those affected by cervical cancer by educating and motivating them to use their voices to create awareness to end stigma, influence decision and change, and end cervical cancer;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim January 2026 as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in Michigan.
