Women Support Cervical Cancer Prevention By Joining Walk in West Potomac Park
Posted on: Wednesday, 14 May 2008, 09:01 CDT
WASHINGTON, May 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Women whose lives have somehow been touched by cervical cancer will walk around Washington D.C.'s West Potomac Park on Saturday, May 17, for a fundraising event organized by local non-profit organization Tamika & Friends, Inc. The second annual Walk to Beat the Clock! is designed to raise awareness and funds for cervical cancer prevention, including the vaccine and test for the human papillomavirus (HPV) -- the single, known cause of the disease. The event's unique clock theme is inspired by the fact that every two and a half hours, a woman is needlessly diagnosed with this virtually 100 percent preventable cancer.
"When I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2001, I had no idea what caused the disease or what more I could have done to prevent it," says Tamika Felder, who not only survived cervical cancer, but founded the non-profit organization and launched the 4K walk. "I didn't know it was caused by such a common virus, or that Pap smears can sometimes miss women at risk for cervical disease. Today, women have access to both an HPV test and HPV vaccine. I want to make sure that all women know about and take advantage of these new advances so that they don't have to go through what I did."
Last year, more than 500 people participated in the walk's debut. This year's four-hour event kicks off at 8 a.m. with an opening ceremony to celebrate cervical cancer survivors and a moment of silence to remember those who have lost their battle with the disease. An inspirational post-walk pep rally will feature music, other entertainment and motivational remarks from survivors and advocates. Survivors from across the country are expected to attend, including Boston-based singer and songwriter Christine Baze.
Through this fundraising effort for HPV and cervical cancer awareness, Tamika & Friends hopes to raise $40,000. The organization is asking for a $30 donation from each participant to help achieve its goal. Women are also encouraged to contribute more than the walk registration fee. For individuals who raise or contribute at least $100 in donations, event volunteers and children under 12, the registration fee will be waived. Donations can be made online at http://www.active.com/donate/tamikaandfriendsdc.
A third walk is currently being planned for New York City in September. "The overall purpose of these walks is to spread the word that cervical cancer is preventable with routine screening," says Felder, pointing out that even if women are vaccinated against the two most common types of high-risk HPV, they still need to be screened with a Pap smear and -- if they are 30 or older -- an HPV test.
The Washington, D.C. Walk to Beat the Clock! is sponsored by QIAGEN, Merck, the BET Foundation, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
About Tamika & Friends
Founded in 2005, Tamika & Friends, Inc. (T&F) is a national non-profit organization created to raise awareness about cervical cancer and its link to HPV through a network of survivors and their friends. Based in the Washington, D.C. metro area but serving women nationally, T&F is a leader in offering HPV/cervical cancer education and support.
The first Walk to Beat the Clock!, held on May 19, 2007 in Washington, D.C., was a first for both T&F and the cervical cancer community, and it helped raise awareness about cervical health and the screenings that can prevent this disease. The $19,000 in contributions raised last year by more than 500 participants was re-invested in the community T&F serves.
About Cervical Cancer and HPV
The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2007, about 11,500 women in the United States developed cervical cancer and about 3,650 died from the disease. Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second-most-common type of cancer that strikes women -- behind only breast cancer. Its cause, HPV, is a very common virus, infecting approximately 80 percent of all women at some point by the age of 50. In the majority of women, the virus goes away or is suppressed by the body before it causes any problems. A Pap smear can identify cells that have become abnormal due to HPV, while HPV testing detects the presence of the virus itself. The FDA has approved routine HPV testing for women age 30 and older -- the group most likely to have persistent infections and most at risk of developing cervical cancer. In addition, the first HPV vaccine has been approved for girls and young women age 9-26, and is expected to greatly reduce the number of cervical cancers. However, the vaccine does not provide complete protection. Regular screening with a Pap and -- for women age 30 and older -- the HPV test should be a lifelong habit.
For more information on the Walk to Beat the Clock! and Tamika & Friends,
Inc., visit http://www.tamikaandfriends.org/.
Tamika & Friends
CONTACT: Traci Tournoux, +1-212-598-4400, ext. 160,ttournoux@lippetaylor.com; or Marissa Nakamichi, +1-212-598-4400, ext. 169,mnakamichi@lippetaylor.com, both of Lippe Taylor
Web site: http://www.tamikaandfriends.org/http://www.active.com/donate/tamikaandfriendsdc
Source: PRNewswire
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