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

My youngest sister, a mother of 3, often talks about how lucky she feels to give her children the gift of cancer prevention through HPV vaccination. Two of her children have been vaccinated, and the third will be vaccinated when old enough. She contemplates the things she can and cannot protect her children from—but she need not worry about her children having HPV cancers in adulthood. She has a peace of mind knowing they are protected.

Conversations with family members and friends can be difficult, but they are important. Our program has developed resources through the Path to a Bright Future campaign to help address myths and normalize HPV vaccination as cancer prevention. Every time families and friends gather is a good time to talk about how a moment of prevention today can offer a lifetime of protection.

Speaking of gifts, I will never forget the moment Tamika Felder, founder and chief visionary of Cervivor Inc., told me she and her husband were welcoming a baby to their family thanks to the gift of a fellow cervical cancer survivor and surrogate. Tamika and her husband welcomed their new addition last month, and I am elated to see Tamika’s legacy grow beyond the lives she saves to include those she raises. Read more in our newsletter.

May you have peace and find joy as we bring 2022 to a close—and cherish our opportunity to take advantage of the gift of cancer prevention.

HPV vaccination is cancer prevention.

December ushers in a month of celebrations, including Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa — providing an opportunity for us to gather with family and friends to reflect on the past year and look forward to the year ahead.

In the midst of gift-buying and gift-giving, it is important to remember that some of the most important gifts cannot be purchased online or in stores. One such gift is ensuring a bright future for children by vaccinating them against HPV cancers. HPV vaccination is safe, effective, and stops 90% of HPV cancers before they start. It provides long-lasting protection against 6 types of cancer and is strongly recommended by pediatricians and primary care providers. When gathering with family and friends, talk about HPV vaccination as cancer prevention.

Through December 12, we observe National Influenza Immunization Week. It reminds us that there is still time to get vaccinated against flu to protect ourselves and others. Flu vaccination is for everyone 6 months and older and is especially important for people at higher risk for developing complications from flu. This includes those with chronic and underlying medical conditions. The flu vaccine can be given safely at the same time as other vaccinations, including HPV.

Join us in encouraging others to give the gifts of cancer prevention and peace of mind this holiday season by talking about and getting the HPV vaccine.

Access social media resources (like the image below) to share the gift of HPV Cancer Prevention this season.

Last month, the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program and select representatives of southeastern states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia) and Puerto Rico united to discuss improving HPV vaccination in these regions, which have historically had among the lowest levels of coverage.

The group discussed:

Conditions and opportunities surrounding HPV vaccination and HPV cancer prevention
Vaccination success stories
Challenges facing vaccination
Opportunities to improve vaccination coverage in each state

The group discussed ways they can work together to mitigate challenges and capitalize on opportunities. This resulted in the newly formed HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast. This roundtable will create a platform for sharing ideas and building on previous collaboration from the 2019 National HPV Vaccination Roundtable. Stay tuned for more details on this effort.

The Fall 2022 Seminar Series, Keys to Improving HPV Vaccination Coverage, was organized and hosted by the American Cancer Society, Indiana Immunization Coalition, National HPV Vaccination Roundtable, and St. Jude. The 3-part virtual series aimed to increase the capacity of state teams to improve HPV vaccination coverage.

The series concluded with Monitoring Process and Impact of Efforts to Improve HPV Vaccination Coverage. Gabrielle Darville-Sanders, PhD, moderated the seminar, which included experts Deanna Kepka, PhD, Shonta Chambers, MSW, Lisa K. Robertson, MPH, and Dave McCormick.

You can listen to all of the seminar recordings:

Email PreventHPV@stjude.org for more information.

Rural communities possess numerous strengths. Last month’s National Rural Health Day allowed us to celebrate and acknowledge the social determinants of health and the health care challenges that rural residents face.

This year, President Joe Biden issued a Proclamation that recommitted the nation to delivering quality, affordable health care to every ZIP code in America by:

Making insurance and prescription drugs more affordable
Expanding mental health and substance-use disorder services
Keeping rural facilities open and staffed with dedicated doctors, nurses, and other health professionals

This will lead to ongoing opportunities to improve rural health, including efforts to improve HPV vaccination coverage and prevent HPV cancers.

The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program is committed to improving rural HPV vaccination opportunities. Data have shown that rural children have lower HPV vaccination coverage compared to urban children. This is concerning because rural adults experience higher rates of HPV cancers than urban adults.

We are committed to doing what we can to support improvements on National Rural Health Day and every day.

"We must identify ways to improve HPV cancer prevention with rural communities who have lower HPV vaccination coverage and higher rates of HPV cancers compared to those living in more urban areas," Brandt said. "This means we must take on those extra miles to find and implement solutions—literally and figuratively."

St. Jude is forming an ad hoc group of allies and partners with expertise in rural health to explore priorities for improving HPV vaccination coverage. Watch for more information on these efforts in future newsletters.

International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS) recently hosted a webinar, Cultural Insights about HPV Vaccination in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) Region. It focused on the prevalence of HPV in the MENA region and studies conducted in Oman that assessed people’s attitudes, beliefs, and acceptance of the HPV vaccine.

The presenters included Omar Al Zaabi, PhD, assistant professor at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, and Judie Arulappan, PhD, DNSc, of Sultan Qaboos University. The webinar discussed cultural perspectives toward sexuality and implications for HPV education and vaccination programs. The presenters identified barriers toward HPV education and vaccination programs in Oman. They also offered recommendations to help increase HPV vaccination coverage, education, and programs.

A recording of the webinar is available for IPVS members. IPVS Education Center: Log in to the site (ipvsoc.org)

Each year, about 13,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in the United States. About 4,000 women die of cervical cancer. But cervical cancer and 5 other HPV cancers can be prevented through HPV vaccination. HPV vaccination is recommended at age 11 or 12 and can begin at age 9. HPV vaccination provides safe, effective, and long-lasting protection against HPV cancers.

Unlike other HPV cancers, cervical cancer can be prevented or found early through routine cervical cancer screening. Cervical cancer screening can include Pap testing, HPV testing, or a combination of both. Recommendations vary by age. If someone is without health insurance, they might qualify for free or low-cost cervical cancer screening.

National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is also known as Cervical Health Awareness Month. There are many awareness and advocacy activities you can participate in and organizations you can support.

One way to bring awareness to the importance of cervical health is to join Cervivor Inc. for their virtual Pap Rally and Run. Click register and learn more.  

If you plan to host events in January, email PreventHPV@stjude.org to share information for promotion in the January 2023 newsletter.

The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program celebrates the November 21 birth of Chayton Campbell. Chayton is the son of our friend and partner, Tamika Felder, founder and chief visionary of Cervivor Inc. and her husband, Rocky Campbell.

Following a cervical cancer diagnosis in 2001, Tamika’s treatment included a full hysterectomy that caused her to lose her fertility and what she thought to be her only chance at motherhood. Then she met fellow cervical cancer survivor Ginny Marable through her advocacy. Ginny had a similar cervical cancer experience but had been able to preserve her fertility prior to treatment.

After Ginny and her partner, Sean, completed their family with the birth of twin boys, they decided to donate their remaining embryos to Tamika and Rocky, allowing the couple to have Chayton via surrogate.

Read more about Ginny’s special gift.

The Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable elected its new Executive Committee. The officers are:

Chair- Michelle Bowden, MD, pediatrician, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. She was one of the first local pediatricians to implement recommendations for HPV vaccination starting at age 9.

Vice chair- Fedoria Rugless, PhD, director of Population Health, Amerigroup. As a director of population health, she knows the importance of improving community health outcomes.

General representative- Felicia Williams, immunization and vaccination nurse supervisor, Shelby County Health Department. Her work in immunization and vaccination is linked directly with the Vaccine for Children program.

General representative- Naloni Howard, performance improvement consultant, BlueCare of Tennessee. She is spearheading a new HPV initiative to help increase HPV vaccination in Shelby County.

The Executive Committee will support the mission and purpose of the roundtable and determine the strategic action plan, priorities, and scope of activities. The first general member meeting will take place December 8 from 2–3 p.m.

The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program and Seokwon Jin, PhD, from the University of Memphis, recently launched the Tigers VAX Now HPV Ambassador Program sponsored by the West Cancer Foundation.

Thirteen students at the University of Memphis will serve as ambassadors. They will promote awareness and knowledge about HPV vaccination to build a campus culture of normalizing HPV vaccination as cancer prevention.

The students completed a 6-week training program. They learned about HPV, the importance of HPV vaccination, and how to effectively communicate HPV information to their peers. They also planned events that will begin with Cervical Health Awareness Month in January.

Student Ambassador Olivia said she plans to connect with student social work organizations and Emerging Leaders to connect with students and help inform them on the importance of the HPV vaccine.

Learn more and access resources: stjude.org/tigers-vax

Arkansas

The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program works with collaborators across Arkansas to improve HPV vaccination coverage.

In November, Julia Neely of the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program and Morgan Newman of Cervivor Inc. spoke to the Arkansas Immunization Action Coalition HPV Vaccination Workgroup, led by Heather Mercer, executive director. The presenters gave an overview of the importance of HPV vaccination and HPV cancer survivor advocacy. They also provided updates from the October HPV Cancer Survivors School that took place in Memphis, Tennessee.

Next month, the Arkansas Cancer Coalition (ACC) will hold its first in-person, quarterly meeting since early 2020. The meeting will take place Tuesday, December 13, from 9–11:30 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn in Little Rock, Arkansas. Trena Mitchell, ACC executive director, will provide ACC updates, and Neely will discuss HPV cancer prevention updates, progress, and challenges. Register to attend the meeting in person.

Louisiana

The Louisiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (LA-AAP) hosted a Vaccine Advocates Friendsgiving last month, which brought together 40 community partners. The event included a dinner and discussion of the vaccine landscape in Louisiana, voter attitudes around vaccines, planning for future advocacy, and ways to make a difference in Louisiana's diverse communities. During the event, individuals had the opportunity to receive influenza and COVID-19 vaccines.

Although we know these vaccines are safe and effective, Louisiana-AAP has taken on a creative approach, such as Friendsgiving, to highlight vaccine benefits. LA-AAP is leveraging community advocates, who are trusted messengers, to start vaccine conversations in the community. Addressing vaccine hesitancy is complemented by building vaccine confidence through having early vaccine conversations, making strong recommendations, using empathy, and listening to patients' and decision-makers' concerns. Learn more.

Tennessee

The Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (TNAAP) launches a new immunization program this month. TNAAP gives providers and practices the tools they need to better promote vaccines, fight vaccine hesitancy, process and code vaccines efficiently, and reach their broader communities.

Learn from providers across the state in TNAAP’s monthly Immunization ECHO; a one-hour call featuring a brief didactic session, case presentation, and peer discussion. A separate monthly module for office staff will cover topics such as safe vaccine handling and proper reimbursement procedures.

Sign up now to join TNAAP’s first staff training module on pediatric vaccine storage and handling. This event takes place Thursday, December 15, at 11:30 a.m.

December is a time to stay warm by the fire and make memories during the holiday season. The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program team shared their favorite holiday memory and a favorite holiday movie:

“I always enjoy watching The Grinch with my family. The little dog in the movie is my favorite.” – Alison Footman, postdoctoral fellow

“My favorite holiday memory is being with my family, cooking delicious food, and enjoying the food together. Since my family members are miles apart and it is difficult to see them in person every year (but, we do video calls.), my husband and I drive around the town to look at the beautiful Christmas lights. I find joy looking at those creatively decorated colorful Christmas lights. This year, we have our son, Omic, and we are very excited to create new memories together. My favorite holiday movie is Home Alone. ” – Pragya Gautam Poudel, postdoctoral fellow

“My favorite holiday memory is Christmas 2013. My husband Carson hid in a big box and proposed to me. I thought it was the electric fireplace I wanted, but the proposal was way better. My favorite holiday movie is A Christmas Story; I could watch that movie all day. “– Portia Knowlton, program coordinator

“I enjoy spending quality time with my nephew Whitten and watching our favorite movies, Home Alone 1 and 2.”– Ursula Leflore, administrative specialist.

“My favorite memory about December is celebrating my birthday at the end of the month and being back home with my family in NJ. My favorite holiday movie is the Home Alone movie.” – Duha Magzoub, program coordinator

“We entertained a lot during the Christmas holiday. It was a fun time to share with family and friends. My favorite Christmas movie (still up for debate) is When Harry Met Sally.” – Carol Minor, program coordinator

“My favorite holiday memory was making holiday snacks with my mother to give to friends and family. Still today, everyone looks forward to receiving the M&Ms Chex mix, chocolate-covered pretzels, or strawberry bread. My favorite holiday movie is Elf with Will Ferrell. His energy keeps me laughing the entire movie and highlights how family members can blend their holiday traditions.” – Brooke Morgan, program coordinator

“My favorite holiday memories were always at my grandparents’ house. Their house was warm and inviting, and every year, we had Christmas dinner there. One year, I got a Barbie jeep for Christmas. I let it charge for hours and was going to attempt to drive it to my grandma’s house. My attempt was unsuccessful. My favorite holiday movie is The Preacher’s Wife.” – Julia Neely, program manager

“I have so many favorite holiday memories but if I had to choose just one, I would say when I inherited the job of making my grandmother's frappe punch at just 7 years old. It is a holiday staple in our family, and I love that I get to make it for everyone. There is nothing like watching It’s a Wonderful Life while nibbling on popcorn and drinking frappe.” – Andrea Stubbs, administrative director

“My family celebrates Christmas, and I have many years of happy memories. I really enjoy celebrating this season with many cherished holiday traditions. I like so many holiday movies – It’s a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, Santa Claus: The Movie, Christmas Vacation, The Grinch, and Elf. This year, I watched Spirited, and really enjoyed it. Of course, I also watch all the Hallmark Countdown to Christmas movies as well.” – Heather Brandt, director

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.