Campaign to sign up to cervical cancer vaccine

Sep 19 2008 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle

PARENTS are urged to support Western Cheshire’s vaccine campaign to protect girls from cervical cancer.

The case of Big Brother star Jade Goody has highlighted the devastating effects of cervical cancer after she underwent a radical hysterectomy.

But the number of cases could be cut by nearly three-quarters thanks to a national vaccination programme which gets under way in Western Cheshire over the next few weeks. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide.

More than 1,200 girls in Western Cheshire stand to benefit from the first wave of the vaccination programme which will be carried out by NHS school health advisers.

The HPV, or human papillomavirus vaccine, is being offered to all 12- and 13-year-old girls. It protects against the two types of HPV which cause more than 70% of cervical cancers.

A two-year ‘catch-up’ programme will start in 2009-10 to vaccinate girls aged 15-18. Girls aged 17 and 18 will also be offered the vaccination by their own GP practice for this year only as not all girls of this age are still at school. This will ensure that, by summer 2011, all girls currently up to the age of 18 will be protected.

Leaflets and letters of consent are being sent to parents and carers of girls aged 12 and 13 asking permission for their daughters to be vaccinated. Vaccination sessions will start in local secondary schools in the third week of September.

Wendy Meredith, Western Cheshire’s director of public health, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to protect the health of young women and we would urge parents and carers to read the information their daughters bring home and consent to this vaccination now, as a long-term investment in their daughter’s future.

“But it is also important parents and carers understand why this vaccination is needed and we are ready and able to talk to them if they want to contact us.”

Wendy also urged parents or carers with questions about the vaccination programme to contact their daughter’s school health adviser at her school.

“New cases of cervical cancer have been falling for years thanks to the national cervical cancer screening programme. The HPV vaccination is a valuable addition to the protection we can offer young women.”

HPV is spread through sexual contact. While most girls do not start having sex until they are 16 or older, it has been shown the vaccine provides the best protection if it is given at ages 12 to 13. Three injections will be needed over about six months.

However, because it doesn’t protect against all HPV viruses, it is essential girls, like their mothers, take part in the NHS cervical cancer screening programme once they are old enough.

Fore more details, visit www.immunisation.nhs.uk/vaccines/HPV.