Can I Know Who Gave Me HPV?

Who gave me HPV (human papillomavirus)? This is the question that most of us ask ourselves when we first hear the news we have tested positive for the virus that causes cervical cancer.  For one of the mujeres, she remembered asking herself that very question, all the while feeling ashamed and scared that her husband would think she had been with someone else. For the other mujer being told she had an abnormal pap test alerted her to research what can cause an abnormal pap test.

HPV is not a death sentence, but let's be honest, when you are ignorant of what it is, it sure feels like it, and it is understandably embarrassing. How do you explain it to your husband, your family and friends when you yourself have no clue what it is exactly?

There are so many myths and misconceptions out there.  Let's try and clear up some of the major ones out there that we have heard. You cannot get HPV from being unclean, from toilet seats, or from having an abortion.  Also it is very important to know that HPV is not the same as herpes or HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). While these are all viruses that can be passed on during sex, they all cause different symptoms and health problems. HPV is such a common sexually transmitted infection (STI), that quite often many women will have not know they have had it, or they will have an abnormal pap test and then it will resolve itself (generally within two years) - this is in fact the case for 90% of women according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC).  Check out many of the reputable health organizations and taking into account the slight variance in statistics, HPV is so common that at least 50% of sexually active men and women will get it at some point in their lives! Did you read that? So turn to the person next to you or look in the mirror. This is why it is so common! Most women and men never even know they have  HPV or that they are passing it to their partner.  For this reason it is NOT possible to know who gave you HPV or when you were exposed. There is NO way to know if your partner gave you HPV or if you gave HPV to your partner.

Having HPV does not automatically mean that your partner is having sex outside of your relationship (put down the frying pan and the chancleta). We also do not know why the virus lasts longer in some women and not others. Also, if you have one type of HPV that goes away, you may not get that type again, but you can certainly get a different type. There are approximately 40 types of different strands that can be transmitted through sexual activity. Men that have HPV usually never devlop symptoms or health problems, however some stands of HPV can cause genital warts, and also penile, anal or head or neck cancers in men per the CDC.

There is NO treatment for HPV, and usually your body fights it off naturally. Another reason why it is so common, is that while you can lower your chances of passing HPV to your partner by using a condum, HPV can infect areas that are not covered by a condom. Yes this means that the ONLY sure way to prevent passing HPV to your partner is by NOT having sex, but for many of you, that is not happening, so this is why you must educate yourself, make your appointments to see your GYN and make sure you have your scheduled pap, HPV tests and of course if you are able to, the vaccine for HPV!!

Every day about 1,200 people ages 15 to 24 are infected by HPV.  That works about to 4 million cases a year.

There are about 20 million Americans infected with HPV and it is estimated that 6 million new cases are reported every year.

For more information on HPV: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

"Dining to Donate" - April 28th, 2011

On Thursday, April 28th, 2011 join us in our fundraiser "Dining to Donate" for a great organization that is very dear to our hearts, Tamika and Friends - New York Chapter. 

That day, the Applebee's at the Cross County Mall in Yonkers will be giving 10% of your bill so that we can continue all our educational programs and continue helping cervical cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and their families.

Take your family for brunch, lunch, dinner or ALL three!! Applebee's will be open from 11am -11pm, just make sure to print out and give the flyer to your server so that your donation will be counted.

If you are not in the area, call your New York friends and family and tell them to go to the Yonkers Applebee's to help us out.

Tamika and Friends, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to cervical cancer awareness and its link to the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).  It was founded by cervical cancer survivor and advocate, Tamika Felder in 2005.

Some of the programs that Tamika &Friends, Inc. have in place are:

• House Party of fiVe - A House Party of fiVe mixes girl talk with games teaching about HPV and how to stay safe in those intimate moments. The parties are fun, not lectures, and you can customize your party to fit your style! After experiencing this comfortable environment where women can ask questions more openly about their sexual health, many often pledge to visit their healthcare provider to get their Pap and HPV Tests along with taking back the literature provided and messages learned to share with their friends and family.
• Wear Orange Day -In January, cervical cancer awareness month, we wear orange to bring more awareness to this preventable disease. While the color teal is the official color for cervical cancer, Tamika & Friends wears the color orange, a color that has been said to be healing and helps to balance your emotions in times of high stress. Did you know that orange is also the color of the Sacral Heart Chakra - representative of sexuality and reproduction?
  
• Say Something - a toolkit provided and co-sponsored by another great organization, The Yellow Umbrella. Many times we want to know how to talk to our friends and family on cervical cancer, its link to HPV and how we can all prevent it. With the materials provided, it becomes easier to share information, educate yourself and help encourage women to get their HPV test.
• Gift of Giving Financial Assistance Application -Inspired by the truly unselfish and lovingly given donation by Tracey S. Hughes to Tamika Felder, it is now our time to "pay it forward". This is Tamika & Friends way of helping cervical cancer patients/survivors pay their bills. Unfortunately, the realities in this world do not stop even when you have a cervical cancer diagnosis and we love to be able to help ease the burden with donations provided by our supporters.
• Walk to Beat the Clock - Our annual walks for cervical cancer. A place to provide solidarity, while recognizing and building a community of survivors, advocates, family and friends. Upcoming walks this year are:
  
  DC Walk to Beat the Clock on May 14, 2011 - 8:00am - 12:00pm
  Location: RFK Stadium - 2400 East Capitol Street NE Washington, DC 20003 - Lots 6/7 

  NYC Walk to Beat the Clock on September 17, 2011 -9:00am- 12:00pm

  Location: Carl Schultz Park - E. 86th Street and East End Avenue in Manhattan

THE TWO MUJERES WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!

CLICK HERE TO PRINT FLIER

How many times do you hit the snooze button?

How many times do we hear from those around us "you look tired", and how many times do you hit the snooze button before you finally wake up? For some of us, its the opposite. We are stressed from the day's activities. We did not get everything done on our "to do" list. Now we are also finding out that cancer treatments may also be causing us to have such a hard time falling asleep. This all leads to a vicious cycle of not falling asleep properly, trying to function at full speed, and then we end up walking around feeling like a zombie, all the while ignoring the many warning signs our body is telling us.

Yoga has always been known to be a great tool for relaxation, weight loss and improve our flexibility, but studies are also showing that it has beneficial effects for cancer survivors also. They followed a group of cancer survivors who had finished their last treatment within two years and who have had trouble sleeping for at least two months. The outcomes were a reduction in the use of sleeping pills, nearly half the group cut their reported fatigue in half and they also reported an increase in their quality of life. All the more reason to give it a try at least!

                                               
    
To read more visit the article written by CNN: cnn - cancer, yoga and sleep and also FOX News Fox News yoga helps cancer survivors

While there are several places that offer yoga, We have been told that Yoga Alliance has certified instructors that teach a variety of yoga styles and traditions. Feel free to start your search for an instructor or class at YogaAlliance.org

Joining Forces to Offer Pap Tests to Women

On Sunday, April 10, 2011 two non-profits organizations, De Mujer a Mujer, under the organization "De la Mano Con Minerva" (From Minerva's Hands) and Tamika and Friends, New York Chapter  joined forces to create the event "SOS NICOLAU" where women were offered the opportunity to come to a supportive environment, take the fear out of going to the gynecologist and take their pap tests together.

Dr. Mihail Medvedovsky, President of the Broadway Family Medical Center in Upper Manhattan, New York opened the doors to his clinic that day specifically to accommodate these women

Starting at 11:30am, women came to the clinic and waited together, shared their anxiety and also the relief they felt finally coming to have their pap test that day. Games were played, a few prayers, raffles, entertainment and some great food all made this day a memorable experience for them all. Over twenty women were able to have their pap test and for the majority of them, it had been quite a few years since their last exam.

As the President of Tamika & Friends - New York Chapter, my emotions overwhelmed me that day. It was a wonderful feeling to have been part of such an amazing event where women were given a test that might save their lives. 

Both organizations want to thank Dr. Medvedovsky for giving us this wonderful opportunity.  We also want to thank the staff at Broadway Medical Center, all the volunteers that helped us that day, and the executive board members of both organizations.  Everyone worked hard and together and made this event a complete success!!

Tamika and Friends, Inc. 

Con Minerva SOS TV Show 

A glimpse of the entertainment that day!

The entrance of the clinic

 Literature given to all the women

Signing in...

A moment of prayer

Some of the women that had the exam

After the Pap Test

Some of the men that were supporting their ladies with Minerva Saint Hilaire

One of the raffle winners that day

Waiting for their Pap Test

Breast Cancer and Flossing

Please welcome guest blogger, Robert Korwin DMD, MICOI, MAGD.

 A new study on the incidence of breast cancer has revealed some startling facts. Although in this study smoking and breast cancer have not been linked, gum disease and tooth loss have been shown to increase the incidence of breast cancer by an incredible 11 times according the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. They found that of 3,000 + women between the ages of 30 to 40 who were studied, those with periodontal disease and consequent tooth loss had a higher incidence of breast cancer.

Periodontal disease is common in the majority of people. Besides the more obvious symptoms of bad breath, bleeding gums, and stained or loose teeth, it will stimulate the whole immune system in the body to react, even though the infection is located in the mouth around the teeth and gums. This reaction to the bacteria that is irritating and even invading the gums, has been linked to cardiovascular disease, elevated cholesterol, atherosclerosis, increased development of type 2 diabetes, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory infections such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, lung, kidney, pancreatic cancer and leukemia.

The treatment for periodontal disease is relatively simple: keep the teeth and gums free of soft bacteria as it forms. While brushing rids bacteria from easy to reach surfaces, the bacteria in the crevices between the teeth and under the gums can only be reached and removed by flexible and thin floss.

This simple, extremely inexpensive, and one minute practice of home flossing can effectively reduce or control gum disease and as a result, prevent systemic diseases! Flossing is preventive home care which can save lives and prevent invasive hospital, medical, and pharmaceutical treatment.

In order to call public attention to the many benefits of daily flossing I recently created the logo and the website Flossing For Life ™. Flossing is an easy to perform, simple to teach, and very low cost means of preventive medicine!

Visit your dentist for coaching on the best way to floss, and visit the website http://flossingforlife.com/ for more information.

Robert Korwin DMD, MICOI, MAGD is an award-winning expert in dentistry who has treated over 15,000 patients in New Jersey for over 28 years. Using information distilled from more than 2500 hours of continuing education, Dr Korwin’s practice provides a full range of esthetic reconstructive, cosmetic, implant and orthodontic dental procedures with an emphasis on patient comfort. Offering “Advanced Dentistry with a Gentle Touch,” including sedation dentistry, the practice works with individuals to maximize their dental and general health and minimize financial concerns. For more information, visit http://www.drkorwin.com/ or call (732) 219-8900.


Dr. Robert Korwin, Dentist-Red Bank, Middletown NJ Latex Free, Mercury Free, Invisalign
To contact Dr. Korwin or for more information visit him at: 
www.flossingforlife.com
www.drkorwin.com
facebook: Robert-Korwin-DMD-PA-MICOI-MAGD-Advanced-Dentistry-with-a-Gentle-Touch
Phone: 732-219-8900
Email: info@drkorwin.com 

                           Thank you Dr. Korwin!

National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week - April 3rd to April 9th, 2011

April 3-9 is National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week. There are 70,000 Americans between 15-40 years of age diagnosed with cancer each year. That's one person being diagnosed every eight minutes. It's also seven times more than all childhood cancers combined. More people are dying of cancer under the age of 40 than any other disease.  

April 16th & 17th we will be attending the OMG Cancer Summit 2011 in NYC hosted by the i2y (I'm Too Young For this! Cancer Foundation)  an organization that ensures that young adults are made aware of the available support to them and also the wealth of resources that they are entitled to.  Our friend, CEO and President of Tamika & Friends, Inc., Tamika Felder, will also be speaking at the summit. Diagnosed in April 12, 2001 at the age of 25 with invasive cervical cancer, she will be speaking on how cancer affected her personally as a young adult and also being single.

We encouraged all of you no matter what your age is, to listen to your bodies and check yourselves.  Make sure to visit your doctor and become a lifelong advocate for your own heath.

Another website to visit for more information:  

Lance Armstrong Foundation/Young Adult Alliance

HPV And The Link To Lung Cancer

Photo credit: IARC

While the biggest risk factor to developing lung cancer still is smoking, researchers have now found the presence of HPV (human papillomavirus) in lung tumors, enough to warrant further investigation into this yet unknown relationship. Scientists from the International Agency for Cancer (IARC) found that those without lung cancer were affected with fewer types of HPV versus those with lung cancer. In fact, the chances of having eight types of HPV significantly increased. This held when comparing current and former smokers, and also those that have never smoked.

What does this mean for us? We will obviously be following this developing story to see what the link is, if any. Also, how will the vaccines used to prevent HPV be used toward lung disease, if they are even effective at all?

To read more:
The IARC website: www. iarc.fr
More articles:
womenshealth.gov
doctorslounge.com