January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and a perfect time for women to take charge of their health with important preventive screenings such as Pap and HPV tests, which detect irregularities that can lead to cervical cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, there are about 10,000 cases and 3,700 deaths from cervical cancer in the U.S. per year. Cervical cancer is very preventable. Eighty-five percent of women who die from cervical cancer never had a pap smear.
Latinas have the highest rate of cervical cancer among all racial and ethnic groups of women in the United States, as well as the second highest mortality rate from this disease. Lack of screening is an important factor behind this disparity. Latinas neglect to visit the Doctors' office before it is too late. It is important to know that 6 in 10 cervical cancers occur in women who have never received a Pap test or have not been tested in the past five years.
"Cuidate. Armate. Educate", is the title of the Latinas for Cervical Cancer Prevention Campaign. CUÍDATE means take care of yourself and the women in your life. Make sure you get regular pap smears and screenings for sexually transmitted infections. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that women begin pap tests at the age of 21. It is also important to help the women in your community access reproductive health care services.
ÁRMATE means to make sure that you and others in your community are armed with the important tools needed to prevent cervical cancer.
EDÚCATE means to educate yourself about cervical cancer and HPV, and share that information with the people in your life, family and community. Host a cafecito and invite community members to talk about cervical cancer, HPV and the vaccine.
For more information, call, write or e-mail the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, 50 Broad Street, Suite 1937, New York, NY 10004; email@example.com or phone: 212.422.2553
In addition, the National Council of La Raza's (NCLR) Institute for Hispanic Health developed Mujer Sana, Familia Fuerte (Healthy Woman, Strong Family) an educational project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in late 2009 to address the need for effective cervical cancer education among Latinas led by promotores de salud (community health workers). For more information, call NCLR office at 202. 785.1670.
The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program program provides free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screening to women who don't have health insurance. To learn more about this program, contact the CDC at 800.CDC.INFO (232.4636).
Community Health Fair
Puentes is organizing a community health fair in collaboration with with El Milagro Church of God in Mid-City on Jan. 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the church at 440 N. Dorgenois St. There will be blood screenings, dental and eye examinations, information about nutrition and much more.For more information, call Puentes at 504.821.7228.
"The Magic Flute" production
Loyola University student Juan Carlos Hernandez will be singing the role of Papageno in the Loyola Opera production of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" on Jan. 24, at 7:30 p.m., at Louis J. Roussel Performance Hall, located in the Communications/Music Complex on Loyola's main campus. For tickets and more information, call 504.865.2074.
Local Latina actress joins ABC Family cast
Latina actress Iris Almario, who first gained the attention of millions of fans when she was crowned Miss Latina USA, will be joining ABC Family's “Switched at Birth,” in a recurring role and she will be guest starring on the new CBS drama, "Intelligence" on March 3.
Almario has built a solid resume with numerous television appearances, most notably “General Hospital,” “Sex and The City,” “King of Queens” and a recurring role on the daytime favorite “The Young and the Restless.” She’s also appeared in several feature films, including Bob Goldthwait's “God Bless America” and “Below the Beltway.”