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Dear Memphis Roundtable Members, |
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Coming Together to Protect Our Community from HPV Cancers |
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As February comes to a close, the Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable continues to focus on preventing HPV cancers in our community. With HPV Awareness Day fast approaching on March 4, this moment offers a natural opportunity to elevate awareness and reaffirm our commitment to protecting the health of adolescents and families in our region. Read more about the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program resources and also the Ask About HPV campaign from the International Papillomavirus Society for celebrating HPV Awareness Day here.
We look forward to the mid-year meeting on March 24 to share information and plan for 2026. As we shape our 2026 strategy, we invite you to share your voice. Please take a moment to complete the 2025 Membership and Engagement Survey, which will help guide our priorities for the coming year. The survey will close on March 31.
Together, we look forward to continued progress in HPV cancer prevention across our community.
In this edition, we cover:
- Fact or Myth: Separate HPV Fact from Fiction
- What’s Happening with the Memphis Roundtable
- 2026 Mid-Year Meeting
- Membership Engagement Survey
- It’s Our Way in Memphis Communication Materials Available
- Training Health Care Providers and Professionals
If you have any ideas and/or questions, please reach out to Akeria Taylor with the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program at akeria.taylor@stjude.org. |
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Fact or Myth: Separate HPV Facts from Fiction |
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Myth: Pediatricians make money from giving vaccines, including the HPV vaccine.
Fact: Pediatricians do not get paid by pharmaceutical companies to vaccinate children—doing so would be illegal under federal anti-kickback laws. Claims that doctors earn “bonuses” from vaccines misrepresent how insurance quality programs work. When incentives exist, they come from insurance companies, not vaccine manufacturers. Incentives focus on many aspects of preventive care, not just vaccinations.
In reality, many pediatric practices lose money administering vaccines, especially those serving large numbers of Medicaid or uninsured patients. The cost of storing, delivering, and maintaining vaccine inventory often exceeds reimbursement rates. Many pediatricians continue providing vaccines despite financial strain because they prioritize protecting children and maintaining access to essential preventive care.
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What’s Happening with the Memphis Roundtable? |
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March 4 is HPV Awareness Day |
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International HPV Awareness Day, held annually on March 4th and led by the International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS), aims to reduce the global burden of HPV by raising awareness, promoting HPV vaccination, encouraging cancer screening, and advancing efforts in support of timely diagnostic care and treatment. The campaign, which started in 2018, emphasizes that while HPV is common and may be harmless, it causes six types of cancers and other conditions, which are almost entirely preventable through on-time HPV vaccination. Learn more about planning for HPV Awareness Day in the special communication sent out earlier this week from the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program.
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It’s Our Way in Memphis: HPV Awareness Day Seminar |
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In recognition of HPV Awareness Day, the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program and the Memphis Roundtable are excited to release a seminar, “It’s Our Way in Memphis: Advancing HPV Cancer Prevention Together” as part of the 2026 HPV Awareness Day Seminar Series. This seminar spotlights efforts to advance HPV cancer prevention in Memphis and Shelby County by exploring local data trends, sharing effective communication strategies, and emphasizing the power of collaborative community partnerships. The seminar features Memphis Roundtable leaders, Michelle Bowden, MD, who serves as an Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Medical Director of the Eating Disorder Clinic at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and Sonia Thomas, DNP, Chief of Nursing at the Shelby County Health Department and Memphis Roundtable Chair-Elect.
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Join us for the 2026 Mid-year Meeting on March 24 |
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Registration for the 2026 Mid-Year Meeting is open. This important convening underscores our shared commitment to advancing HPV cancer prevention across our community. Join us on March 24 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
The mid-year meeting will feature Deanna Kepka, PhD, MPH as our keynote speaker. Kepka is with the Huntsman Cancer Institute and a professor at the College of Nursing at the University of Utah. She founded, and leads, the 500-member Mountain West HPV Vaccination Coalition and is the Director of Global and International Health in the College of Nursing. Kepka is an expert in community-level cancer prevention and control research among underserved communities and promoting HPV vaccination as cancer prevention. Kepka will present on the growing national and global momentum toward eliminating cervical cancer and other HPV cancers, highlighting emerging strategies and collaborative efforts driving progress.
The interactive mid-year meeting will bring together Memphis Roundtable members and partners to map out next steps in our collective efforts to prevent HPV cancers. |
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2026 Mid-Year Meeting
March 24
9:00 a.m. to noon. Central Time
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| Register Here |
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Your Voice Matters: Take the Memphis Roundtable Membership Engagement Survey |
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Please take a few minutes to complete the 2025 Membership Engagement Survey. The membership survey closes on March 31.
This survey is designed to help us better understand your experiences, needs, and priorities so we can continue strengthening connections, fostering collaboration, and supporting HPV vaccination efforts across Memphis and Shelby County. Your feedback will directly inform our 2026 membership engagement strategy, guide planning for upcoming events, and ensure that our collective work remains meaningful and impactful. We know that engagement looks different for everyone; whether you stay connected through newsletters, attend meetings, or actively participate in planning and implementation efforts, your voice plays an important role in advancing our shared mission.
The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. All responses will remain confidential, and findings will be reported only in aggregate for program improvement.
We sincerely appreciate your time, insight, and partnership as we continue building an even stronger Memphis Roundtable network. |
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It’s Our Way in Memphis Communication Materials Available |
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During HPV Awareness Day and at any time throughout the year, use the It’s Our Way in Memphis communication materials to promote HPV vaccination. The Memphis Roundtable offers co-brandable communication materials—postcards, posters, social media graphics, and banners—to support HPV vaccination outreach. These materials are a great way to elevate your efforts. If you and your team would like to use or co-brand the full collection or request printed copies, click the buttons below to get started. All materials are available at no cost and include customizable, brand-ready communication materials—postcards, posters, social media graphics, and banners—to support HPV vaccination outreach efforts. |
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Training Health Care Providers and Professionals |
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As part of efforts to increase on-time HPV vaccination and prevent HPV cancers, the HPV Cancer Prevention Program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital offers the Announcement Approach Training (AAT). The AAT promotes strong provider recommendations by training health care providers and professionals to improve HPV vaccination coverage.The AAT is an evidence-based strategy to recommend HPV vaccination and increase HPV vaccination coverage developed by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The training is available at no cost. To request training, email PreventHPV@stjude.org. |
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St. Jude HPV Program Tennessee Legislative Breakfast, February 10 Recap |
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The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program hosted a successful legislative breakfast on February 10 for members of the Tennessee General Assembly at the Cordell Hull State Office Building in Nashville. More than 115 Tennessee legislators, staff members, and community partners attended, providing an invaluable opportunity to educate state leaders about the importance of HPV vaccination as cancer prevention.
During the event, the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program team highlighted the strong evidence supporting HPV vaccine safety, effectiveness, and long-lasting protection against six types of HPV cancers.
A significant milestone also was announced: Tennessee House Joint Resolution 0908 (HJR0908) officially passed designating March 4, 2026 as HPV Awareness Day in Tennessee. This resolution acknowledges the high burden of HPV cancers across our state and affirms Tennessee’s commitment to strengthening HPV vaccination, education, and prevention effort.
A special thank you goes to Representative Torrey Harris for championing this resolution and for his continued leadership and support of HPV cancer prevention in Tennessee and beyond.
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Tennessee Families for Vaccines: What Moms Want. What Kids Need. Campaign Materials |
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Tennessee Families for Vaccines is pleased to announce the What Moms Want. What Kids Need. campaign. Materials are now available to clinics, health care providers, and community partners statewide. These resources support confident vaccine conversations and promote access to routine childhood vaccinations. Partners may request downloadable .png and .pdf files through a brief form, with printed 8.5 x 11 posters also available. All materials are co-brandable, allowing organizations to add their logos alongside Tennessee Families for Vaccines' to demonstrate a shared commitment to protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases.
This month, the campaign received even more visibility as a What Moms Want. What Kids Need. billboard was spotted in Nashville. The increased presence of these materials underscores the statewide investment in empowering parents and ensuring families have trusted, accessible vaccine information. |
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Spotlight on Student Advocacy: Alyssa Cavness and Tigers VAX Now Ambassador |
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We are honored to spotlight Alyssa Cavness who is a fall 2025 University of Memphis graduate and founding member of Tigers Vax Now, which is a student-led initiative dedicated to increasing awareness of HPV vaccination and cancer prevention on campus.
Tigers Vax Now launched in 2022 through a partnership with Seok Won Jin, PhD, associate professor at the University of Memphis, with a mission to educate college students about the importance of HPV vaccination as a tool to prevent six HPV cancers.
As a freshman, Alyssa embraced the challenge of peer-to-peer health education. While starting conversations about HPV vaccination was initially outside of her comfort zone, she developed the skills to turn difficult or awkward discussions into positive, educational moments. These conversations often sparked curiosity, increased engagement, and motivated students to learn more—and to get vaccinated.
Under Alyssa’s leadership, Tigers Vax Now grew from an informal group into a fully registered student organization, helping ensure its long-term presence on campus. Through tabling events, student training programs, and a growing social media presence, the organization expanded its reach beyond campus and into the broader community.
Alyssa plans to pursue a career in medicine. As a pre-med graduate preparing for the MCAT, she credits her experience with Tigers Vax Now for strengthening her passion for public health advocacy. Her leadership has made a lasting impact at the University of Memphis and continues to inspire students to champion prevention.
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March 4
International HPV Awareness Day
Learn more here
March 4
Tennessee Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics Day on the Hill
Register here
March 24 | 9 a.m. - noon Central Time
Memphis Roundtable Mid-year Meeting
Register here |
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Learn More about the Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable |
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The Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable, established in 2021, is a collaboration of health care, community, and advocacy partners with a mission to measurably increase HPV vaccination coverage in Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee.
The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program provides support for the Roundtable. To learn more about the Roundtable or join our efforts, please visit stjude.org/memphis-roundtable. If you have organizational or member information we should highlight in our communications, please contact us at PreventHPV@stjude.org. |
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