Dear Memphis Roundtable Members,

April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month. We are reminded of the critical role HPV vaccination plays in preventing cancers that impact both men and women. Oropharyngeal cancer caused by HPV is the most common type of HPV cancer. This observance reinforces the importance of ongoing education, strong health care provider recommendations, and community-wide efforts to protect future generations.

This month also brings fresh opportunities for engagement and a little friendly competition with our HPV Champions in Action Challenge. This initiative highlights the creativity and dedication of our partners as they continue to champion HPV vaccination in their spaces. As we move forward, we look forward to celebrating these efforts and building on the energy that continues to drive our shared mission.

Looking ahead, we will be shifting this newsletter to a quarterly cadence rather than monthly. This change allows us to better reflect on progress, spotlight partner efforts, and share meaningful updates aligned with our collective work.

In this edition of the monthly communication, we cover:  

• Fact or Myth: Separate HPV Fact from Fiction
• What’s Happening with the Memphis Roundtable
• Partner Updates
• Upcoming Events

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.

If you missed the March 2026 monthly communication, access it here.

Fact or Myth: Separate HPV Fact from Fiction

Myth: Oropharyngeal cancer only affects people who smoke or drink heavily.

Fact: While tobacco and alcohol use can increase risk of oropharyngeal cancer, most oropharyngeal cancers today are caused by HPV. Many people diagnosed have no history of smoking or heavy drinking. HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers are now the most common type of HPV cancer in the United States, which is why HPV vaccination is so important for preventing these cancers before they start. Most oropharyngeal cancer cases caused by HPV occur among men.

What’s Happening with the Memphis Roundtable?

HPV Champions in Action Challenge

The Memphis Roundtable is excited to announce the HPV Champions in Action Challenge, running from May 1 through September 30. This is commonly referred to as the “back to school” time period and is when many children receive routinely recommended vaccinations, including HPV vaccination. This friendly challenge invites all community partners, clinical settings, and health care organizations—patient‑facing and non‑patient‑facing alike—to join in and show how HPV cancer prevention is a shared responsibility across roles and settings. This competition will highlight how It’s Our Way in Memphis is not just a phrase, but how we put those words into action.

Getting involved is simple and impactful. Throughout the challenge period, teams and organizations can submit their efforts to highlight how they are supporting HPV cancer prevention in their own way. Each submission helps us spotlight the great work happening across Memphis and Shelby County while building collective momentum toward prevention.

As a bonus, submissions will be entered into a drawing to win donuts for your organization. Selected participants will have the opportunity to be officially recognized as HPV Vaccination Champions.

Whether big or small, your efforts matter. Great work deserves to be celebrated!

Ready to join the fun?

It’s Our Way in Memphis Communication Materials Available

The Memphis Roundtable offers a full collection of co-brandable communication materials through the It’s Our Way in Memphis campaign. This includes postcards, posters, social media graphics, and retractable banners designed to support HPV vaccination outreach across our community. These resources are designed to help elevate your efforts and ensure consistent, community-centered messaging.

If you and your team would like to use or co-brand items from the It’s Our Way in Memphis campaign collection, like the one shown below, or request printed copies, simply click the buttons below to get started. All materials are available at no cost and include customizable, brand-ready designs that make it easy to promote HPV vaccination across Memphis and Shelby County.

If you and your team are interested in using these materials or co-branding them with your organization’s logo, please complete our request form to gain access to the campaign resources. To request printed copies, complete our print materials request form or email us at PreventHPV@stjude.org. These materials are available at no cost to you.

Boost Your HPV Recommendation Skills with the Announcement Approach Training

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 intervention for recommending HPV vaccination and increasing 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.

Partner Updates

Memphis and Shelby County Schools Parent and Student Leadership Summit

On April 18, Memphis-Shelby County Schools hosted the 2026 Parent and Student Summit at Colonial Middle School, bringing together families, students, and community partners for a morning focused on connection, learning, and access to supportive resources. Attendees had the opportunity to explore a wide range of services, including Family and Community Engagement, Exceptional Education Services, College and Career Readiness, Grade Transition Supports, Financial Literacy, and more.

As part of this effort, the It’s Our Way in Memphis campaign materials were shared with families during the event, helping to promote the importance of HPV vaccination and cancer prevention. By extending these resources into community spaces like the summit, we continue to broaden awareness and support informed health decisions among parents and caregivers.

Call for Nominations: 2026 Immunization Champion Award

Know someone making an impact on immunizations in Tennessee? Nominate them for the 2026 Immunization Champion Award, open now until May 22. Hosted by the Association of Immunization Managers, this national award recognizes individuals who demonstrate leadership, innovation, and advocacy in promoting vaccination across the lifespan. Eligible nominees include health care professionals, community leaders, educators, and other immunization partners.

Help us recognize those strengthening vaccine confidence and protecting communities by submitting a nomination and sharing with your network. Contact Rana Zakaria with any questions.

Save the Date: 2026 Tennessee State Pediatric Conference

The Tennessee State Pediatric Conference (TSPC) is the annual meeting of the Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (TNAAP), bringing together pediatricians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, residents, and students from across the state. This dynamic conference offers education, encouragement, and empowerment in pediatric medicine, along with valuable opportunities to connect with exhibitors and take practical insights back to your practice.

This year’s conference will take place on August 15 at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs in Franklin, Tennessee. With the theme Kicking Off Healthy Futures: Scoring Big for Kids’ Health, the event promises an engaging and impactful experience.

Registration details will be released soon.

Partner Spotlight:

Badge of Honor: Greg’s Journey Through Head and Neck Cancer

Greg Tacker never expected his life to change so sharply in June 2020, when the proud husband, father of three boys, Delta State graduate, and former police officer heard the words: HPV-related squamous cell carcinoma. What followed was a fight marked by grit and grace, eight surgeries, months of treatment, and a radical neck dissection in January 2022.

Through it all, Greg held tightly to the reasons he refused to give up: his wife, his sons, and the future he still planned to see with them. A lifelong music lover, Greg found strength in rhythm even when surgery changed his voice. At home, his loyal dogs, Maggie and Neli, and his explosive-detection K-9 stayed faithfully by his side, reminding him daily that he still had so much to live for.

His greatest motivation came from two small but powerful anchors, his youngest boys who were then just 9 and 14. “They’re not growing up without their dad,” he vowed and he fought like it.

Greg later shared his compelling story during the 2024 Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable Annual Meeting, where his experience served as a powerful reminder of why this work matters and the real lives behind the data.

Today, Greg stands not only as a survivor but as a symbol of resilience. “Surviving this ordeal has become my badge of honor,” Greg stated.

This April, we honor Greg and all who face head and neck cancers with courage, hope, and unshaken determination.

Upcoming Events

April 30 | 1-2:15 p.m. Central Time

Start at Age 9 and Other Best Practices: Accelerate efforts to start HPV vaccination at age 9

Register here

May 14 | noon-1 p.m. Central Time

Improving Rural HPV Vaccination Coverage Rural Quarterly Updates Meeting

Register here

May 19 | 2-3 p.m. Central Time

Southeast Roundtable 2026 In-Person Annual Meeting Post Meeting 2

Register here

June 18 | 10-11 a.m. Central Time

Southeast Roundtable 2026 In-Person Annual Meeting Post Meeting 2

Register here

Learn More about the Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable

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.