On the Path to Prevention from the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program May 2022

May flowers hold the promise of brighter days—a time of renewal and fulfillment. The warm weather and colorful blooms make us anticipate summer break when families have time to make vaccination appointments for adolescents. It’s also a great time to overcome pandemic deficits in vaccinations. These deficits are most pronounced for HPV vaccination. How can we push for getting back on track with HPV vaccination? What are your plans? Email us at PreventHPV@stjude.org. We will feature selected examples in our June and July newsletters.

I'd like to point out another opportunity for your input. We are developing a list of HPV vaccination implementation science research priorities as part of the St. Jude-Washington University in St. Louis Implementation Science Research Collaborative. And we want to hear from you. Please take a few minutes to respond to our brief survey. Also, please share this link with others who may want to provide input.

HPV vaccination is cancer prevention.

National Nurses Month annually honors nurses and the vast impact they have in our lives and communities.

We recognize and applaud the work nurses do to ensure the health and wellbeing of their patients, families and caregivers—including their work preventing HPV and HPV cancers.

With the recent launch of our Path to a Bright Future awareness campaign, we highlight nurses who are critical members of HPV education and prevention teams in hospitals, pediatric health offices, community health clinics and schools. The work they do to prevent HPV—which will affect more than 14 million Americans and lead to more than 36,000 cancer diagnoses this year—is phenomenal.

Often, nurses introduce parents and caregivers to HPV and HPV prevention. These professionals educate families about HPV, debunk myths about HPV vaccination, educate caregivers about HPV vaccination as a tool for cancer prevention, and, most importantly, encourage on-time HPV vaccination for adolescents ages 9-12.

Please join us in celebrating nurses and their commitment to providing safe, accurate information about cancer prevention. Consider sharing these social posts with your audiences or networks.

Learn more about National Nurses Month and find resources for recognizing the nurses in your life.

VAX 2 STOP CANCER: Increasing HPV Vaccination Coverage in Alabama
VAX 2 STOP CANCER Executive Director Barbara Schuler has a vision to eliminate HPV cancers in Alabama through education and advocacy. The organization works to reduce the high social, emotional and medical costs associated with HPV diseases. Since its launch in 2020, VAX 2 STOP CANCER has trained pediatric and family health care providers in Alabama on how to improve HPV vaccination coverage. The education program is called “Prevent HPV-Associated Cancers Through Effective Provider Education.” The program provides:

Strategies for effective HPV vaccination recommendations
Talking points for hesitant parents
Ways to decrease missed vaccination opportunities to give the vaccine.

Learn more about VAX 2 STOP CANCER.

Mississippi HPV Summit Unites Allies and Partners

The Mississippi chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Cancer Society recently co-hosted a Mississippi HPV Summit. The event targeted health care providers who play a part in preventing HPV cancers. Participants discussed evidence- and data-based approaches to improving HPV vaccination coverage in Mississippi, which ranks lowest in the U.S. One common theme was finding practical solutions for Mississippi health care providers to address barriers and vaccine hesitancy. The event highlighted the growing rate of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers, with emphasis on the supportive roles of specialty providers and organizations to increase HPV vaccination, starting at age 9.
Learn more here.

Collaborating Across Missouri
The Missouri Immunization Coalition recently launched an HPV vaccination campaign to educate Missourians about HPV vaccination as cancer prevention. The campaign:

Encourages vaccination
Provides education about vaccine safety
Combats vaccine misconceptions
Educates providers on making strong and timely recommendations
Links to online resources

Campaign platforms include billboards, broadcast TV, radio, Facebook, Instagram, Google, Snapchat and Tik Tok. The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program took part in the planning committee and collaborated on billboards across Missouri. Many of the assets are available in the MIC Media Toolkit.

The Missouri Comprehensive Cancer Program launched a social media campaign focused on cancer prevention on May 1. The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program collaborated on this campaign, as well.

Last month, the Missouri Coalition for Oral Health hosted A New Side to Preventive Oral Health Care— Increasing HPV Vaccination, a webinar featuring speaker Jacqueline Miller, DDS. The webinar aimed to:

Raise awareness of the importance of HPV vaccination to prevent oral cancer
Teach dental teams how to educate patients on the importance of HPV vaccination
Discuss how a model adapted from a program in New Jersey boosted HPV vaccination rates in Missouri’s Federally Qualified Health Centers

The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program also collaborated in this effort.

Informing HPV Vaccination Implementation Science
Research Priorities

On April 28, the HPV Research Group of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital-Washington University in St. Louis Implementation Sciences Collaborative presented Implementation Science in Action and Research Opportunities on HPV Cancer Prevention: HPV Vaccination Opportunities and Next Steps. During the fourth and final seminar of this virtual series, the collaborative sought feedback on HPV vaccination research priorities. If you would like to contribute, submit your feedback about research priorities in this brief survey. The survey will be open until May 15. Please share the survey link with others who may want to provide input. If you missed any of the seminars, you can access slides and recordings here. If you have questions, email the HPV Research Group at carolyn.stoll@wustl.edu.

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Vaccination Resources

National Infant Immunization Week
April’s National Infant Immunization Week highlighted the importance of getting back on track with vaccinations. COVID-19 disrupted life-saving vaccination at a global level, putting millions at risk for catching diseases such as measles, meningitis and whooping cough. Vaccines play a critical role in keeping us all healthy, including the youngest among us. National Infant Immunization Week aims to help protect loved ones and communities by getting children up to date on their vaccinations. Here are some steps you can take:

Parents: Protect your child from serious diseases that are preventable with vaccines. Get yourself and your family caught up on vaccinations. Learn more about the vaccines that keep children safe.
Providers: Now it is more important than ever to assess the vaccination status of all your patients at every medical visit, whether the visit is in person or remote. Promptly schedule in-person appointments for catch-up vaccinations, and use these tips to talk with parents about pediatric vaccines.
Partners: Raise awareness of the importance of staying up to date on routine infant immunizations by sharing materials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Catch-Up to Get Ahead Toolkit and the CDC’s National Infant Immunization Week resources.

You can make a difference in supporting the health of babies in your community and setting them up for a lifetime of protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.

New Evidence Summary: HPV Vaccination at Ages 9–12
The National HPV Vaccination Roundtable has released a new evidence summary stressing the importance of starting HPV vaccination at age 9 to complete by the 13th birthday. As stated in the evidence summary, adolescent vaccine coverage is improving, but gaps remain between HPV and other adolescent vaccines. On-time HPV vaccination series completion is especially low. Read the summary.

South Carolina Cervical Cancer Awareness Initiative Addresses HPV Vaccination in New Video
The South Carolina Cervical Cancer Awareness Initiative has released a new animated video outlining the importance of HPV vaccination to prevent HPV cancers in South Carolina and beyond. In this brief video, the narrator gives details on HPV cancers and the best time to get vaccinated. The main message is: “This is our moment; HPV vaccination now.” Learn more and watch the video.

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Current and Upcoming Events

Prioritizing Women’s Health
National Women's Health Week, May 8–14, urges women to take control of their health through annual physical exams, nutritional foods and physical activity. Completing a timely HPV vaccination series lowers the chance of developing cervical cancer and 5 other HPV-related cancers later in life. A Pap Test screens for cervical cancer and is recommended every 3–5 years depending on age. Regular health care screening and exams are essential at all ages. Incorporating physical activity and nutritious foods into the daily routine is linked to positive mental and emotional health. The FDA offers a National Women's Health Week toolkit filled with proactive resources to help you create a lifetime of healthy habits.

Seminar: Using Social Media to Create Impact Around HPV Vaccination
The Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable will host a virtual seminar on using social media to improve HPV vaccination coverage Tuesday, May 17, from noon to 1 p.m. CDT. Speakers include Katharine Head, PhD, of Indiana University and Sarah Tanksley of the Tennessee Department of Health. The moderator is Elise Vance of the Global Initiative Against HPV and Cervical Cancer. Learn more. You can register here. For more information, email Carol Minor.

Advancing Progress in Cancer Prevention and Risk Reduction
On June 27–28, the National Cancer Policy Forum will host a hybrid workshop to consider the current state of knowledge about risk factors for cancer and strategies for interventions to reduce cancer risk. Register today.

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Hello, May Flowers

May is the height of spring. Members of the HPV Cancer Prevention Program share what is on their “to-do” list this month.

“May will be a time of resetting and planning for summer fun activities.” – Andrea Stubbs, administrative director

“I like traveling to small-town festivals to see what gems I can find when exploring.” – Carol Minor, program coordinator

“In May, I will do absolutely nothing in 'preparation' for my DrPH program.” – Julia Neely, program coordinator

“May 2022 will be a month full of celebrations. I will celebrate my first wedding anniversary, my 40th birthday with friends & family, and a new addition to our family.” – Brooke Morgan, program coordinator

“During May, I enjoy partaking in outside festivities, and I am excited about Memphis in May!” – Portia Knowlton, program coordinator

“The first thing on my list is to graduate with my MPH and to travel back to Texas to see friends. I want to enjoy a large barbecue with my sorority sisters in Dallas.” – Contrina Huffman, graduate student assistant

“The first thing on my to-do is an outdoor picnic at Mud Island River Park.” – Duha Magzoub, graduate student assistant

“Spring cleaning and outdoor adventures with my grandson.” – Ursula Leflore, administrative specialist

“Memphis in May has all sorts of great expectations for me, and I am looking forward to being outside as much as possible.” – Heather Brandt, director

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Join Us on a Path to a Bright Future

The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program’s Path to a Bright Future campaign spotlights the benefits of on-time HPV vaccination to prevent cancer in children ages 9–12. The campaign also raises awareness of the dangers of HPV pre-cancers and cancers.

Join us:

Get your child vaccinated against HPV by their 13th birthday: If you or your child is in the recommended age range (ages 9–26 and possibly until age 45), get vaccinated.
Encourage others to get their children vaccinated: Normalize HPV vaccination as cancer prevention.
Share the facts: HPV vaccination is safe, effective and durable. It prevents 6 types of cancer.

Learn more and join the campaign