Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

Cancer is tricky, sneaky bitch! Majority of cancers can not be avoided, no matter how healthy you live, not matter if you have never smoked a day in your life, even if you have only had 1 beer your entire life, cancer can happen to anyone no matter your age, sex, race or socioeconomic bracket. However, there are ways to lower your chances of getting the dreaded C word, especially the double C word: Cervical Cancer.
Cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women. Then, between 1955 and 1992, the cervical cancer death rate declined by almost 70% (cancer.gov). One of the reason Cervical cancer has declined drastically over the past 21 years is due to the knowledge of what caused cervical cancer, therefore the knowledge of importance of women health. HPV. you know the STI that isn't a biggie. It's not like herpes that someone can see or HIV/Aids which can kill you. It's  just you know a harmless STI, that EVERYONE has had...right? That is what I have been told by my oh so wise twenty something peers.

***Every year, about 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer—but it's also highly preventable. January is Cervical Health Awareness Month—so, hey. It's kind of the perfect time to talk about some of the things you just might not know about the disease.*** (via glamour magazine)

I cringe when a woman doesn't take HPV (Human papillomavirus)  and risk of contracting it seriously. About 20 million Americans between the ages of 15 and 49 have it—and, according to Planned Parenthood, most sexually active people should expect to be exposed to it at some point in their lives. Even though most HPV cases are harmless and go away by themselves. HPV is transmitted through genital skin-to-skin sexual contact—so no actual penetration is needed to contract or transmit the virus. The virus can be transmitted through oral sex (though that's less common). Cervical Cancer can develop--even though it takes years. Cervical Cancer is deadly if it isn't caught by stage 2 at the latest. There isn't any symptoms of HPV, however symptoms of cervical cancer, The symptoms include: vaginal bleeding that's different from normal for you; bleeding when something comes in contact with your cervix (like during sex); pain from sex; vaginal discharge tinged with blood.
What to lower your risk of contracting HPV? get your shots (26 and younger) the shots are FDA approved and while it does not protect against all strains of HPV it has been proven to be 100 % protective against the "high-risk" strains of HPV that lead to cervical cancer.

Protect yourself, know your facts and do not put your health and life on the back burner.