Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month

Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month

In 1999, the Foundation for Women’s Cancer successfully established the month of September as a month of Awareness for Gynecological Cancer. Each year almost 100,000 women get diagnosed with gynecological cancer with over 30,000 ultimately succumbing to the disease. That is a huge number and so we use September as an opportunity to bring awareness to the importance of prevention, early detection and warning signs.

Gynecological cancers are those that attack the female reproductive organs- cervical, ovary, vaginal, vulva, and uterine. I have linked each one of these separate and individually important parts to direct you to more information than what I will be able to provide here.      

It is vital that you are aware of changes with your body. Recognition of a change in your biological and/or physiological norm can be the early warning that you need. Although some diseases are hereditary and may not be avoided others may stem from risk factors that are controllable.  Click on this sentence to get to a CDC created “symptoms diary”.  This diary is a simple tool you can use to check yourself and help make a determination as to whether or not you should seek medical advice.  Here is a gynecological cancer awareness month (GCAM) tool kit that you can print out and disseminate and share with friends and family.

I also want to take today to celebrate “Women’s Health & Fitness Day” it is the nation’s day to promote health and fitness for women. September 25, is this year’s recognized day but it is always held on the last Wednesday in September.  All across the nation senior centers, hospitals, health clubs, local health and service organizations, retirement communities, houses of worship, and other community locations will be participating by holding awareness festivities.

If you are having pelvic pain or pressure that doesn’t go away, and you don’t know why, feeling too full, too fast, even when you eat just a little, have unusual vaginal bleeding, like having longer or heavier periods than what’s normal for you, or bleeding after you’ve gone through menopause and these signs and symptoms last longer than 2 weeks it is recommended by physicians that you get checked out.

 Undetected HPV can also lead to cancer. Did you know that HPV can be handled with a vaccine but, you must discover HPV first, and that is only done through testing.  The smartest and most responsible thing you can do is incorporate an annual physical exam with your doctor to include a PAP smear and HPV test.