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

We are pleased to recognize the second half of National Hispanic Heritage Month in this e-newsletter – and celebrate the power and strength of the Hispanic community. We acknowledge the high levels of HPV vaccination among Hispanic adolescents and commit to keeping those levels high to alleviate HPV cancers in adulthood. Our programs Path to Prevention and Path to Bright Future resources use culturally considered images. They are available in English and Spanish.

Path to a Bright Future HPV vaccination resources available en Español

Last month, we celebrated Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Childhood cancer survivors, unfortunately, have lower HPV vaccination coverage compared to the general population. This is an incredibly important group to us at St. Jude. We recently received a grant from the National Cancer Institute to develop a multi-channel communication campaign targeting childhood cancer survivors and their families. We look forward to sharing information on the campaign in the future.

Since 1968, National Hispanic Heritage Month has been from September 15 to October 15 in the United States. It is a time to celebrate and recognize the cultures, histories, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It also provides an opportunity for us to commit to efforts to improve unbiased health care and HPV cancer prevention.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of Minority Health Hispanic, Hispanic women are 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 30 percent more likely to die from cervical cancer as compared to non-Hispanic women. Data from 2015–19 show Hispanic young people ages 13–17 have the highest levels of HPV vaccination. The HPV vaccination has the power to preserve families by providing long-lasting protection by starting at age 9. This vaccine allows for young women and men to stay healthy to provide and spend time with their children and grandchildren. HPV vaccination protects the people who receive it. HPV vaccination is cancer prevention.

HPV vaccination prevents 90% of HPV cancers. St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program promotes on-time vaccination for 9-to-12-year-olds to ensure a lifetime of protection against six types of cancers.

The purpose of the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program Path to a Bright Future national public awareness campaign is to promote sound, relevant, and appropriate policies that encourage on-time HPV vaccination for 9–12-year-olds and support equitable administration of HPV vaccination for all people. The aim was to dramatically improve on-time HPV vaccination rates by the 13th birthday to reduce the threat of HPV cancers for everyone later in life — locally, regionally, and nationally. The Path to a Bright Future campaign launched on March 4, 2021.

Recently, we engaged in a comprehensive evaluation of the national public awareness campaign. The purpose of the Path to a Bright Future campaign evaluation was to explore and understand the reach of the campaign and to gather feedback on the usefulness of the campaign. In addition, cost estimates related to development and implementation of the campaign were considered.

View a summary of the evaluation results here.

Future HPV cancer prevention public awareness campaigns initiated by the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program will build on lessons learned through the Path to a Bright Future campaign and strive for improved impact based on the results of this comprehensive evaluation. Path to a Bright Future campaign resources will continue to be available to you at this time.

Digging Deeper into HPV Vaccination Data: Recapping the September 13 Virtual Training

The HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast held a virtual training experience on September 13 – Digging Deeper into HPV Vaccination Data. Data provides the foundation for guiding our efforts and telling us if we did or did not have an impact and how well or poorly, we did. HPV vaccination data are essential – critical – to what we are doing to ensure people are protected from six types of cancer. However, we are in a space where we have experienced inconsistencies in – for example – vaccine ordering data, vaccine administration data, and well child visits. In addition, until the recently released NIS-Teen data were examined, we had not seen the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on HPV vaccination in this important national data source. In this virtual training, Cassandra (Sandy) Pingali, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and lead author of the MMWR publication, presented on the NIS-Teen data with Courtnay Londo of the American Immunization Registry Association and Casey Daniel, PhD of the University of South Alabama presented on HPV vaccination data sources nationally and regionally.

During the training, several HPV data resources were shared, including:

In addition, several state HPV vaccination dashboards were discussed.

Listen to the unedited recording here.

For more information, email PreventHPV@stjude.org.

Register today for Navigating Conversations: Effective Communication Strategies for HPV Vaccination in the Southeast, November 15

The second training experience hosted by the Southeast Roundtable – Navigating Conversations: Effective Communication Strategies for HPV Vaccination in the Southeast – will be on November 15 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. CT. The focus will be on addressing misinformation and practical messaging to promote HPV vaccination in the southeastern United States. Presenters will address using communication approaches to build confidence in HPV vaccination, myths related to HPV vaccination, and foundations of campaigns for the southeast region.

Improving HPV vaccination uptake requires traversing the communication landscape, combatting misinformation, and putting forth effective communication messages, such as:

What are the most effective communication strategies for improving HPV vaccination in the Southeast?
How do we tailor messaging to improve HPV vaccination rates in the Southeast?
How can we achieve consistent messaging for HPV vaccination?

Presenters:

Bob Bednarczyk, PhD, Emory University

Jennifer Cunningham-Erves, PhD, Meharry Medical College
Beth Sundstrom, PhD, College of Charleston

Moderator:
Francine Walton, MPH, O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

This interactive training experience will include presentations, facilitated breakout room discussions, and large group sharing.

Register to join live and/or access the recording following the conclusion of the training.

We’re all feeling disheartened by the recently released NIS-Teen 2022 data. For the first time since the HPV vaccine entered the market, we didn’t see the “slow but sure” year-to-year rise in HPV vaccination coverage among U.S. teens. Instead, rates of HPV vaccination initiation (i.e., ≥1 dose) and up-to-date coverage nationally remained steady from 2021 to 2022. More worrisomely, coverage declined among uninsured and Medicaid-insured teens, signaling a potential exacerbation of socioeconomic disparities in HPV vaccination. At the same time, HPV vaccination rates remained significantly lower among teens living in rural areas compared to their city-dwelling counterparts. In this month’s Wide Open Spaces article, Jane Montealegre, PhD, shares a success story by partnering with schools to improve HPV cancer prevention in rural Texas.

Read more here

We invite guest contributors to share information on how they are working to improve HPV vaccination in rural areas. If you are interested in contributing or learning more about our efforts to improve HPV vaccination with rural communities, please email us at PreventHPV@stjude.org.

3Cs Confident, Concise and Consistent: Motivational Interviewing for Adolescent Vaccinations

On September 18, 2023, the Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable, and the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program in partnership with Unity Consortium, hosted a motivational interviewing training on the 3Cs program. This training showcased the newly updated 3Cs program and helped healthcare providers and public health professionals develop skills to improve adolescent vaccination coverage using motivational interviewing. The Memphis Roundtable and St. Jude HPV Program will continue to work with the Unity Consortium on ways to deliver this impactful training to more health care providers and professionals in the future.

3rd Annual Meeting of the Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable

The third annual meeting of the Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable was hosted on September 19, 2023, at the Memphis Botanic Garden. Over 80 members and partners joined to hear the Memphis Roundtable’s annual progress report, along with various focuses that included HPV vaccination and HPV cancers data review and information on opportunities to utilize motivational interviewing.

Gabby Darville Sanders, PhD, Strategic Director of the National HPV Vaccination Roundtable, provided the keynote presentation that explored the national landscape for HPV vaccination and opportunities to improve vaccination rates.

Promoting HPV vaccination starting at age 9 was the focus of a new video viewed during the meeting – Protecting Alana’s Possibilities: Starting HPV Vaccination at age 9. This is a new tool to share with hesitant parents who can identify with Alana and her mother, who choose to provide cancer prevention through HPV vaccination. The local HPV Roundtable also presented the Brooke Askew Morgan Community Champion Award to Primary Care Pediatrics in Millington, Tennessee. The award recognizes the determined effort of a community partner who commits to impacting HPV vaccination. All attendees had the opportunity to participate in action planning through table-topic discussions related to HPV vaccination.

This year’s meeting built on the collaborative work of HPV members and their intention to increase HPV vaccination in Memphis and Shelby County as cancer prevention.

For more information about the Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable, please visit our webpage Memphis and Shelby County HPV Cancer Prevention Roundtable or contact Carol.Minor@stjude.org or PreventHPV@stjude.org

January 22-23, 2024: In-person Meeting of the HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast

Save the date for the inaugural conference of the HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast on January 22-23, 2024, in Memphis, Tennessee. The HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast will bring together people working in Southeastern states to improve HPV vaccination coverage. This conference is an opportunity for you to share successes and challenges, generate ideas, and promote action to improve HPV vaccination in the Southeastern U.S. through identification of strategies for collective impact. Registration will be open soon.

Visit the HPV Vaccination Roundtable of the Southeast website at stjude.org/southeast-roundtable, sign up here to receive the latest information about the roundtable, and email PreventHPV@stjude.org with any questions.

When HPV became real in the face of a cancer diagnosis, cervical cancer survivor Joyett Wright gained a new voice for HPV advocacy.

Her consistent charge to others is, “Use your voice.” Joyett serves as the Memphis chapter leader of the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, her message supports self-advocacy, learning about cervical cancer, and cancer prevention through HPV vaccination.

Joyett is candid about her lack of information when first diagnosed in 2019. She knew nothing about cervical cancer or how she contracted the virus that can cause six different types of cancer. She empowered herself by learning as much as she could about HPV and cervical cancer, helping to decide on a full hysterectomy, thereby alleviating the chance of more cancer related to HPV.

Soon, her new knowledge base became the platform she used to educate herself and others about her journey and how to protect themselves and their children and girls from HPV through HPV vaccination.

Joyett knows the power of sharing her voice and her advocacy as someone who walked, fought, and survived HPV-related cervical cancer.

VAX 2 STOP CANCER, a nonprofit organization with a mission to prevent cancer by expanding the use of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine through education, public awareness, and advocacy, is pleased to offer new training for dental providers. This free, online, on-demand Dental Provider Education Program is available NOW for dentists, pediatric dentists, and hygienists. Utilizing methods endorsed by the National Cancer Institute and materials from the University of North Carolina and the National HPV Vaccination Roundtable, the training presents the best method for recommending the HPV vaccine to patients ages 9-26. Oropharyngeal cancer is now the most frequently diagnosed HPV-associated cancer, surpassing cervical cancer diagnoses. HPV causes 14,800 cases of oropharyngeal cancer each year in the US. The HPV vaccine recommendation is critical to reducing the devastating effects of oropharyngeal cancer and dental providers have a vital role in protecting their patients from these cancers. Research shows that parents feel comfortable having discussions about HPV and the vaccine in the dental setting, especially with dentists. See the attached flyer for details. If you have any questions or need more information, email info@vax2stopcancer.org

Vax 2 Stop Cancer is hiring a program and communications manager. The mission of Vax 2 Stop Cancer is to expand HPV vaccination coverage through education, public awareness, and advocacy. This position is responsible for the implementation, and day-to-day management of the organization’s programs, as well as overseeing all external communications (including the e-newsletter, social media, press releases, and website content) in keeping with the organization’s mission. Vax 2 Stop Cancer is making an impact in reducing cancer rates in Alabama. This is a full-time salaried position. The program and communications manager will work remotely (but live close to Birmingham). This position reports directly to the CEO. For more information, please contact barbara@vax2stopcancer.org. Applications should be sent to barbara@vax2stopcancer.org, including cover letter, resume, writing example, and references, and received no later than October 13, 2023, by 5:00 pm CT.

Since 2019, HPV vaccination has been recommended for everyone aged 9 to 26 years and for some people aged 27 to 45 years after shared decision making with a health care provider. Several states, including Mississippi, had gaps in coverage for adults in the 27-to-45-year-old age range, which limited access to HPV vaccination. In August, the Medicaid coverage gap in Mississippi was addressed through a Mississippi Division of Medicaid Provider Bulletin. This is an exciting development in Mississippi, which has had persistently low HPV vaccination coverage among children indicating many adults have not been vaccinated. This policy-level change will open access to HPV vaccination to more people.

Back-to-School Immunization Drive

The last of the three immunization events of the 2023 Back-to-School Immunization Drive in Memphis and Shelby County took place on Saturday, September 30 at the Teaching and Learning Academy in Memphis, Tennessee. These events were the product of a collaboration between the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program, the Shelby County Health Department, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis-Shelby County Schools, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and Shot RX.

The Shelby County Health Department reported immunizing 692 students for all three back-to-school events and 156 received the HPV vaccination. The HPV team distributed 650 backpacks to students, each containing a lunch bag and a Path to a Bright Future back-to-school activity book. During the event, HPV educators engaged with parents and caregivers in meaningful conversations (some in Spanish) about the HPV vaccine and cancer prevention.

Tennessee Families for Vaccines Friendsgiving Forum, November 7

Tennessee Families for Vaccines will host Vaccine Advocates Friendsgiving on November 7, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. This event aims to gather champions from the Memphis and Shelby County area, including new and experienced advocates, to learn about legislative advocacy, disinformation, and the state of Tennessee regarding vaccination policy. The event is open to the community with specific invites to public health care workers, health care professionals, students, non-profit leaders/groups, community leaders, faith leaders and parents. Register here.

Ten little fingers and ten little toes.

Congratulations to Julia Brown of the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program and her family on their new addition, Bradley James Brown, who was born on August 1. Julia expressed how excited she was to be a mother of two. This past summer, Julia and her daughter Alana were featured in a video, Protecting Alana's Possibilities: Starting HPV Vaccination at Age 9, highlighting Alana getting her first dose of the HPV vaccination. Julia expressed that when her little boy Bradley becomes of age, she will ensure she protects his future by getting him the HPV vaccination.

October 5 is World Teacher Day. The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program Team shared stories about their favorite teachers.

" Mrs. Black, my high school AP English teacher will always be one of my favorites. She introduced me to so many great literary works through film and literature.” – Karlisa Cryer, medical content writer

"My favorite teacher was Mr. Dev Bahadur KC – mathematics teacher when I was in seventh grade. He was a very motivating teacher who motivated me to learn math in school. He used to tell us we learn math when we solve examples and practice more using paper and pencil. I loved solving math problems and doing math assignments.” – Pragya Gautam Poudel, postdoctoral fellow

"My favorite teacher was Mrs. Wagner, she always started the day with positive affirmations for her students to recite, and she was a firm believer in speaking things into existence!” – Portia Knowlton, program coordinator

"Mr. Chew-Algebra II, Mr. Chew made learning Algebra fun and creative.” – Ursula Leflore, administrative specialist

“My favorite teacher was Mrs. Clayton. I had her as a student teacher in kindergarten when she was Ms. Shefield and then again as my 3rd grade teacher.“ - Julia Brown, program manager

"My favorite teacher was Mrs. Dyer! She put me and my now best friends of now 18 years in the same group, and we have been best friends ever since the 5th grade thanks to her! She is also very sweet, and I visit her whenever I can." – Duha Magzoub, program coordinator

“Miss Fa Burrows and Mrs. Thelma Cooper. Miss Burrow was a “real” teacher who made sure that you wrote well. Mrs. Cooper introduced us to idioms and their origins. It was like history in our English class, every day." – Carol Minor, program coordinator

“Two of my favorite teachers were Ms. Brawner and Mr. Shriver- my high school IB English and Psychology teachers. They were truly passionate about teaching and their classrooms were across the hall from each other. After graduation, I got to attend their wedding! Now, they co-host a literature podcast together.“ - Kasia Mitchell, graduate student assistant

"I met my favorite teacher, Dorothy Hibler, in first grade at Double Tree Elementary School. She was witty, very smart and so very encouraging to all the students in the school. She often checked on my while I was in college and throughout my adult years." – Andrea Stubbs, administrative director

"Definitely Mr. Oleas, our physics teacher. Among his many skills, and one that I try to emulate, was his ability to break down complex problems and explain them in simple terms. A useful skill in the classroom and beyond." – Cristobal Valdebenito, program coordinator

"I have two because I cannot pick only one. Mrs. Sue Moen (now Mrs. Sue Schumacher) in sixth grade because no one read The Outsiders like she did. I love math and science because of her. Ms. Sandra Warnke for high school English. If anyone wonders where I learned to review and copyedit, talk to Ms. Warnke. I am friends with both of them on Facebook and periodically get to express my gratitude to them.” – 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.