National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) State Chapters to Provide Parents With...

National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) State Chapters to Provide Parents
With Educational Forum to Discuss Cervical Cancer and HPV Vaccines

NCCC provides parents with an education platform to start a dialogue with
other parents in their community about the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) cervical
cancer preventative vaccines.

VAN NUYS, Calif., Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Cervical
Cancer Coalition (NCCC) announces the formation of four new chapters
nationwide that will enable parents to educate other parents within
communities about the cervical cancer HPV preventative vaccines. The newest
NCCC state chapters due to open early this year are located in Arizona,
Indiana, Illinois and New York.

These state-based NCCC Chapters are focused on helping local women, family
members, and caregivers battle the personal issues related to cervical cancer
and HPV. An important education option for these new local chapters is the
NCCC, "Parents Educating Parents" campaign that will enable parents to present
accurate information on the new cancer prevention vaccines during Parent
Teacher Association (PTA) meetings at local schools, as well as during local
church and temple community meetings.

"It is critically important to encourage women to be advocates for their own
reproductive health, which includes cervical cancer screening & prevention,"
said Shaundra Hall from Glendale, Arizona, a cervical cancer survivor and
organizer of the NCCC Chapter in Arizona. "By starting a local NCCC chapter, I
believe women can receive more information locally on how to deal with their
cancer and communicate a message within their community of cancer prevention
with the new vaccines for young women."

"The loss of my daughter, Kim, has devastated my family," said Kathleen
Krueger from New London, Wisconsin, who is one of many NCCC member's planning
to speak out through the new local NCCC Chapters. "If I knew 10 years ago what
I know now about cervical cancer, I would not waste one minute to get my
daughter vaccinated. I pray that everybody will do this."

The Parents Educating Parents campaign includes a slide-show presentation on
the HPV cervical cancer prevention vaccines, as well as videotape about the
NCCC and its resources. The video features information from the recent NCCC
national conference held in Washington, D.C. where women who have or had
cervical cancer and HPV and their caregivers, came together for the first time
to speak out, listen and learn about cervical cancer prevention with the
breakthrough vaccines and the ongoing importance of Pap testing regularly
along with a HPV test if recommended by their clinician.

"As part of this education campaign, NCCC members will be trained on how to
deliver the presentation, becoming NCCC certified ambassadors that can then go
out into their local communities and provide this important cervical cancer
and HPV vaccine prevention information," said Sarina Araujo, executive
director of the NCCC. "As NCCC ambassadors, our members will offer information
that is focused on helping to stop a cancer before it can impact our daughters
lives and potentially destroy our families." Araujo has had her three
daughters vaccinated.

An expert clinician will also accompany the NCCC parent ambassadors when they
deliver their presentations in an effort to help address any questions parents
may have about cervical cancer, HPV and the preventative vaccines. The
primary focus of the campaign is to get parents talking with one another about
how the vaccines can help stop a cancer.

"Providing parents with medically accurate information about these important
vaccines helps reassure them that they are making an informed decision about
their daughter's health," said Juan Felix, M.D., Chairman of the NCCC Medical
Advisory Panel and Director of Cytopathology and Chief of Gynecologic
Pathology at Women's Hospital-Los Angeles County, Keck School of Medicine at
the University of Southern California (USC).

About National Cervical Cancer Coalition

Founded in 1996, the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) is a grassroots
non-profit organization serving women with or at risk for cervical cancer or
HPV. The NCCC is the only organization dedicated exclusively to helping women,
their family members and friends address concerns about cervical cancer and
HPV disease. The group executes its mission to improve women's cervical health
outcomes through education, support, and advocacy for women, their families
and healthcare providers. The NCCC has over 4,000 members.

The NCCC supports the nation's first Cervical Cancer Hotline for women and
family members who are battling issues related to cervical cancer. In
addition, it promotes patient interaction and support through its Phone Pal
and e-Pals Programs, which match cervical cancer survivors with other women
who are now living with or have experienced similar circumstances. The NCCC
is the sponsor of its growing online cervical cancer/HPV community. The
coalition also raises awareness nationally through a variety of initiatives,
including the Cervical Cancer Quilts Project, a traveling exhibit that puts a
personal face on the battle against cervical cancer. Because HPV may be a
causative agent in a percentage of some other cancer sites such as vaginal,
vulvar, penile, anal and some head and neck cancers, the NCCC has adopted the
name of the National HPV Cancer Coalition and intertwined it with the name of
the National Cervical Cancer Coalition. To learn more about the NCCC, visit
their Web site at http://www.nccc-online.org or call 800-685-5531.

SOURCE National Cervical Cancer Coalition

Alan Kaye, Chairman, Board of Directors of the National Cervical Cancer
Coalition, +1-818-909-3849, akaye@nccc-online.org