Do Something For Yourself - Take This Cervical Cancer Assessment Quiz

My mom had breast cancer and my god-mother passed away from cancer two years ago. It’s a sobering experience watching someone slowly die from cancer. Every week I hear stories of friends of friends who’ve been diagnosed with cancer and it seems those getting it are younger and younger.

I’ve been fortunate to be able to make a small difference in the fight against cancer by working on various cervical cancer awareness campaigns since 2006 with the National Cancer Society of Malaysia.

Speaking with different women and men through the last 4 years I still find that quite a few people don’t really know about how cervical cancer is spread and, more importantly, that it can be prevented.

Here are some quick facts:
- cervical cancer is the second most common cancer amongst women
- this is a cancer that forms in tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and vagina)
- it is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms
- cervical cancer is almost always caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV)
- it be found with a Pap tests (cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope)
- the virus spreads through sexual contact
- all you need is one sexual experience and you are at risk
- women who smoke, have many children, use birth control pills for a long time, or have HIV infection are at higher risk
- girls as young as 19 can get abnormal pap test which need further checking so the age range this cancer affects is wide

There are now vaccines that can help protect women from cervical cancer. My thoughts are that if there’s anything that can help reduce anyone’s chances of getting cancer, they should take it.

Cancer can be a terrible financial burden once insurance runs out not to mention the emotional burden and stress that it causes for both the sufferer and the family.

Men, we can do your part by encouraging the women we love to go for regular pap tests and to tell them about ways they can be protected. We are part of the process of virus transmission to each other.

Women, if you want to find out more, visit http://pocc.com.my. You can also take the Cervical Cancer Risk Assessment Quiz found there.

RM1 gets donated to the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM) for each quiz taken so you’ll be doing something for yourself as well as .

Other bloggers who’ve written about cervical cancer:
Niki Cheong :: Bloggers against Cervical Cancer
KinkyBlueFairy :: A Little Bit ‘O Awareness on a Matter of Life & Death