Women of Steel Educating on Cervical Cancer

Coalition promotes Pearl of Wisdom as worldwide symbol prevention

Women of Steel chapters around the state are educating union members about cervical cancer, which is highly preventable. The Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) has a web site with facts about the disease.

Women of Steel and CLUW are members of the Pearl of Wisdom Campaign to Prevent Cervical Cancer (www.pearlofwisdom.us).

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide. In the U.S., the American Cancer society estimates that 11,070 women will have been diagnosed with cervical cancer and 3,870 women will have died of the disease in 2008. Cervical cancer is caused by high-risk types of the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a very common sexually transmitted infection that 3 of 4 adults will have at some time in their lives. Most of these infections go away on their own without treatment. Infections that do not go away on their own can lead to cervical cancer.

The good news is HPV infections are preventable. Women of Steel hopes to raise awareness about HPV testing and prevention among union members and their families throughout North Carolina.