Bride-to-be Andi Manzano x’es out cervical cancer
MANILA, Philippines - Andi Manzano, 26, is a pretty picture of someone in the pink of health. The gorgeous Magic 89.9 radio DJ, TV/events host and former MTV VJ, however, isn’t taking any chances with her general well-being. Now that she is embarking on another adventure in her already exciting life — marriage — Andi deems it imperative to be healthy as a way of showing her love for the family that she will soon be building with her husband-to-be.
The energetic and talented Andi is one of the ambassadors of the “X Means Love,†an advocacy campaign that aims to empower women through increasing awareness and driving urgency to fight cervical cancer. As she becomes a bride and prepares to be a mother, Andi strongly encourages women to proactively take action to protect themselves from cervical cancer through screening and vaccination.
“X Means Love†aims to increase awareness on preventing cervical cancer, or cancer in the cervix (the lower, narrow part of the uterus or the womb), and is supported by GlaxoSmithKline and Healthway Medical.
“I decided to do this advocacy because early this year, my mom was diagnosed with cervical cancer. It took us all by surprise and it was truthfully a very difficult time in our lives. She went through all the motions, from chemo to radiation treatments, and by the grace of God, she’s been cured and is now in remission,†Andi admits.
The doting daughter adds, “This entire experience made me very passionate about cervical cancer. The silver lining in all of this is that this type of cancer is one of the easiest to treat, if detected early. I want to be at the forefront of educating women about its prevention, detection, and to try to help find a cure for cancer in all its forms.â€
In the Philippines, cervical cancer ranks as the second most frequent cancer among women. It is estimated that every year, 4,544 Pinays are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 1,856 die of the disease.
“In convincing people, especially my loved ones, to take better care of their reproductive health, I’d give them information on the dangers of cervical cancer and how taking preventive medicine like the HPV vaccine can help prevent this disease,†Andy enthusiastically says.
The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a necessary cause of cervical cancer. Genital HPV is a common, highly transmissible virus that is passed from one person to another through direct skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity. Sexual intercourse is the primary route of transmission of genital HPV infection.
Regardless of age, lifestyle or socio-economic status, every woman is at risk of the cancer-causing HPV infection, which may lead to cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer can be prevented through screening and vaccination. Screening for HPV-induced changes in the cervix can be done by either using a Papanicolaou (Pap) test or HPV DNA test, or both. In low-resource settings, visual inspection with acetic acid is used to identify cervical lesions, which can be immediately treated by cryotherapy.
HPV vaccines are safe and effective. They are most efficacious in females who are naive to vaccine-related HPV types. It does not eliminate the need for screening later in life, since HPV types (other than 16 and 18) cause up to 30 percent of all cases of cervical cancer.
Instead of the traditional bridal shower parties, bride-to-be Andi will hold her own “X Bridal Shower Fair†to exemplify that prevention is worth a pound of cure and that all women deserve a fighting chance against cervical cancer. In our country, it is estimated that the financial cost of preventing cervical cancer through screening and vaccination could be more than 20 times cheaper than the cost of treatment.
HPV vaccines have different characteristics, components, and indications. For more information about cervical cancer, consult your health care provider and your personal doctor, your partners in women’s health.
