Wall Street Journal says Alabama is leading the way to eradicate cervical cancer 

A new report by the Wall Street Journal says Alabama is leading the charge to eradicate cervical cancer in the U.S.—a sometimes aggressive cancer exclusively caused by Human Papillomavirus, or HPV. There’s a safe and effective vaccine for HPV, which effectively means, there’s a vaccine for cervical cancer.

One group in Alabama, Operation Wipeout, is working to get more people educated about and inoculated against cervical cancer. We spoke with Dr. Isabel Scarinci, the UAB Professor and behavioral scientist helping coordinate the statewide effort.

Bridging the gap

For every 100,000 people in the U.S., approximately 7 of those people will be diagnosed with cervical cancer. In Alabama, those rates are 35% higher, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH).

These numbers are what made Dr. Scarinci and her team look at increasing access to testing and prevention for cervical cancer.

“We got together and we said, ‘Well, what which county has the highest burden of disease?’ Chambers County has the highest burden of disease. So we went there.

Dr. Isabel Scarinci, Operation Wipeout

Chambers County does not have a pediatrician working there. The ADPH facility serves as the only pediatric healthcare provider. Meaning, many folks are without a doctor’s office to visit for things like yearly check-ups, pap smears and family planning. That’s where Dr. Scarinci and the folks at Operation Wipeout come in, bringing healthcare directly to people.

Methodology

It’s not at all a stretch to say that Operation Wipeout’s efforts are largely boots-on-the-ground. Dr. Scarinci and her team go to disadvantaged counties with informational packets and syringes. They go to schools, educating families on HPV and how preventing the spread of the disease starts with vaccination.

They bring consent forms, too. Parents can opt-in to having their child vaccinated against HPV and, thus, against cervical cancer.

“We’re not telling parents, ‘You should vaccinate your child.’…We train the kids, the high school kids, to educate the communities and say, ‘Here’s the information. You know that what’s best for your child.'”

Dr. Isabel Scarinci, Operation Wipeout

Operation Wipeout doesn’t just go to schools, they bring pap smears directly to women in medically underserved communities, checking their cervical cells for cancer. If a woman has an abnormal screening, Operation Wipeout sends a team back to her for another check.

“No shows [for appointments] were like 70%. Then they trained nurse practitioners to go and do the follow up where women are screened. That has been a game changer.”

Dr. Isabel Scarinci, Operation Wipeout

A team effort

“t’s not about me, it’s really the partnerships—Rotary, Alabama Department of Public Health, UAB, other partners that are coming along. Everybody can do something…Am I the agitator and the mobilizer? Probably.

Dr. Isabel Scarinci, Operation Wipeout

Dr. Scarinci says this is an evolving process. And a team effort. Her job would be impossible without the efforts of groups like:

• Rotary Club of Birmingham
• University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center
• TogetHER for Health
• Alabama Department of Public Health
• American Cancer Society
• Rotary Club of LaFayette
• Quality of Life Health Services, Inc.

When asked about the Rotary Club’s interest in eliminating Cervical Cancer, Executive Director Dan Stephens says it’s a no-brainer.

“Rotary has a great track record in working to eradicate disease.  Much like Rotary has taken on Polio around the world, the Rotary Club of Birmingham is proud to join with other organizations around Alabama to eliminate Cervical Cancer from our state.”

Dan Stephens, Rotary Club of Birmingham Executive Director

Together, the groups are working towards classifying cervical cancer as “eradicated” in Alabama by 2033.

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