Few weeks ago, Power Wives Club which consists of spouses of seafarers were invited at Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Bagtikan St., Makati City to educate and learn more about Cervical Cancer. I am so thankful that I had an opportunity to cover this kind of event that gives me a lot of information about Cervical Cancer that mommies like me is prone of.
Our culture celebrates our women as selfless and who always put their families’ interest ahead of their own. While selflessness is naturally an asset, we also want to imbibe to our beloved women the values of resilience, self-confidence and self-appreciation as we envision them to realize the fullness of their womanhood.
The Power Wives
The key thrust of GSK’s 2015 cervical cancer awareness campaign, Power Over Cervical Cancer, revolves around empowering women when it comes to preventing cervical cancer.
To further advance this advocacy to embrace more women across all demographics, the pioneering Power Wives will be the Seafarers’ Wives, who will undergo a program that will include sessions on personality development, image building, personal resilience, financial management and self-care.
To date, there are about 400,000 Filipino seafarers deployed who render themselves and their families at greater risk for several diseases and infections due to their working conditions. While they are striving for financial stability as their idea of a bright future, GSK wants to bring into their consciousness the value of preventive health care.
Secure the Future
On a national scale, Filipino seafarers on board international fleets have greatly contributed to our social economic progress. Their foreign exchange remittances grow annually, notwithstanding that our seafarers comprise only 5 percent of the total OFWs working abroad.
Shipping clearly moves the world. The underlying truth is that Filipino seafarers play a major role in the shipping industry as a whole, with 1 out of 4 seafarers on board international vessels being Filipinos. This means they comprise 25 percent of the total global maritime professionals in the world.
“The significance of the Philippine maritime industry transcends both the global and national arena. Undeniably, 90 percent of world trade is still reliant on international shipping. This means that almost all the food we eat, clothes we wear, the things we buy, use, own, in one way or another, were shipped on board vessels before they got to us,” stated Capt. Ronald SJ Enrile, Senior Vice-President Maritime Management of Philippine Transmarine Corporation, the country’s biggest shipping-employment agency.
Securing the OFW families’ future is important. The future should not only mean financial stability but also health and wellness among the family members. Therefore, the need for health checkups and vaccination becomes more imperative.
Importance of early protection
Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop and spread in the cervix, the entrance between the vagina and the uterus. The human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common virus, is the necessary cause of cervical cancer. It has been shown that 99.7 percent of cervical cancer patients are positive for HPV infection. It is also estimated that up to 80 percent of women will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives.
While HPV is primarily transmitted via sexual intercourse, skin-to-skin genital contact is also a recognized mode of transmissionv. Beyond regular consultations and pap smears by your doctor, vaccines that protect against cancer-causing HPV are also now readily available.
Older women are just as susceptible. The risk of persistent infection with cancer-causing HPV (which is necessary for cervical cancer to develop) increases with age, and is highest when a woman is over 66 years old. Vaccination remains to be recommended for older women who did not receive it at an earlier age. However, screening continues to be encouraged among older women as a matter of precaution.
Prevention is better than cure, I will definitely let my loved ones like my mother, my titas and my friends encourage them about the big help of Vaccination against Cervical Cancer. I'll share what I've learned on this event.
Because of this, I will schedule a to visit my OB-gyne and that's very soon. Vaccination against Cervical Cancer is now one of my priority for my self and for my family.
To know more about cervical cancer, visit the Pangarap Mo, Protektado page on Youtube containing various short films conveying how protecting oneself against vaccine-preventable diseases is one important step in the achievement of one’s dreams.
ABOUT GSK
For further information, please visit www.gsk.com.
.JPG)
.png)
