COMMUNIQUÉ – Recent data has unveiled a distressing surge in cervical cancer incidence, with a nearly 4% annual increase since 2015, marking the most substantial uptick in almost four decades. As January marks Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, HPV Global Action continues its commitment to combatting this concerning trend and working towards the elimination of cervical cancer.

An estimated 1,550 Canadian women will have been diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2023, highlighting the urgency to harness available cancer prevention tools that could have potentially averted these cases.

One cancer prevention tool that is available for you no matter your age, sex, gender, or relationship status is the HPV vaccine. Free for all students in grade 4 and Secondary 3, this vaccine significantly reduces their risk of HPV-related cervical cancer so make sure you sign the consent form for your child to receive the HPV vaccine in school. If you want to get the HPV vaccine for yourself or for someone you care about, see where you can get the HPV vaccine closest to you here: (link)

The other cervical cancer prevention tool that is available to anyone with a cervix is cervical screening, conducted through PAP tests or HPV tests. These tests are to be done cyclically and the guidelines for cervical screening are available to you on our website. To find out when to start and how often you should have one, visit the cervical screening guidelines here: (link)

Let January serve as the month to initiate vital conversations about cervical cancer prevention. Engage with your children, family, friends, and acquaintances about the importance of the HPV vaccine and regular cervical screenings. Your conversations could be what saves a life.