Philadelphia Area Health Advocate Honored By Women In Government for Efforts to Help Eliminate Cervical Cancer
Posted on: Saturday, 18 November 2006, 09:00 CST
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- A Philadelphia area women's health advocate was honored last night by Women In Government for her commitment to eliminating cervical cancer. Dr. Marie Savard of Wynnewood, PA, an internist, author and nationally known women's health expert, received Women In Government's Presidential Leadership Award at a gala dinner at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
"As a patient empowerment expert, Dr. Savard has been a vocal advocate for women taking charge of their health," said Susan Crosby, president of Women In Government, a non-profit, bi-partisan organization representing women state legislators. "Specifically, this includes helping women understand cervical cancer and the virus that causes it, the human papillomavirus (HPV), and encouraging them to seek information about their screening results, as well as ask for advanced screening techniques, such as HPV testing. Dr. Savard has also played a key role in helping state legislators across the country understand this important issue and make it a priority."
Dr. Julie Louise Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), gave the keynote address for the awards dinner. Dr. Donnica Moore, a nationally known women's health expert, served as emcee, and Ms. Crosby presented the awards. The event was part of the second annual HPV & Cervical Cancer Summit hosted in Washington, D.C. this week by Women In Government.
Women In Government's HPV & Cervical Cancer Summit is the nation's largest cervical cancer gathering of state lawmakers, medical experts, advocates and public health officials, and is designed to develop national strategies for eliminating cervical cancer. The Summit is supported in part by a grant from the CDC. In 2004, Women In Government launched the Challenge to Eliminate Cervical Cancer Campaign. The Campaign engages state legislators nationwide in policy and awareness efforts to advance cervical cancer prevention efforts. To date, 45 states have introduced legislation or resolutions aimed at cervical cancer elimination.
About Cervical Cancer
Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second leading cancer-killer of women, with almost a quarter-million deaths each year. In the U.S., the American Cancer Society estimates 9,710 women will be diagnosed with and more than 3,700 women will die of cervical cancer in 2006. According to the CDC, approximately 20 million people are currently infected with HPV, with 6.2 million new infections occurring annually and approximately 80 percent of sexually active women will be infected with HPV by age 50. For 90 percent of infected women, the virus is naturally cleared by the body and becomes undetectable within two years. However, persistent infection with "high-risk" types of HPV can cause cell changes that, untreated, can lead to cervical cancer.
About Women In Government
Women In Government is a national, 501(c)(3), non-profit, bi-partisan organization of women state legislators providing leadership opportunities, networking, expert forums and educational resources to address and resolve complex public policy issues. For more information, visit http://www.womeningovernment.org/.
Editor's Note: Photos of award winners are available. For more information, please contact Tracy Morris at 650-380-4413 or tracy@morrismarcom.com
Funding for this conference was made possible in part by 1U13DP000619-01 from the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS); nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Women In Government
CONTACT: Tracy Morris, +1-650-473-1272, cell: +1-650-380-4413, ortracy@morrismarcom.com, for Women In Government
Web site: http://www.womeningovernment.org/
Source: PRNewswire
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