Cervical cancer — myths and reality

I read the article in Sunday’s Health Advertiser, ‘Busting the myths of cervical cancer’ (Sept 26), after which I saw the film, ‘We are Family’.

When a wife and mother is diagnosed with cancer and that too a cancer which could have been totally prevented – cervical -- it shatters all around her.

We are still living in a society which does not want to face reality and live an ostrich’s life. We do not want to talk of the dreaded diseases, but the reality is that anyone of us women could be affected. The fact that of the 1.4 million cases around the world 75 per cent are in developing countries like Pakistan makes us candidates.

We are willing to spend millions on our children’s wedding but not willing to spend a few thousand in taking the precautionary step of getting our daughters vaccinated against cervical cancer. Unlike other cancers which are the result of cells going bad, cervical cancer is caused by a virus.

 Married women can be infected and unfortunately the detection is delayed as symptoms appear when the disease has advanced.

Why should we suffer, make our daughters suffer and eventually make our loved ones suffer too. I want to live to see my daughters getting married, hopefully see their children and live with the feeling that I have given them a life-time protection against a monster.

Photo: FreeImages.com