Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial Hosts Special Seminar

Kick off 2011 by Celebrating the Pursuit of Life, Health and Prevention of Cervical Cancer

Raise your champagne glass and kiss the old year goodbye! It’s a new beginning: time for creative resolutions and a passionate pledge to embrace HEALTH!

Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial (SHGM) staff just aren’t going to take it anymore – they’ve resolved to eradicate cervical cancer in our community, starting today. Join them in their pursuit of life, health and prevention by getting informed and taking a few simple steps to put an end to this highly preventable disease. Our monthly Spirit Night program scheduled for January 20 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Tamarac will focus on the prevention, early detection, and treatment of cervical cancer.

“Cervical cancer is the fifth most common cancer found in women worldwide,” says Brenda Dulaney-Connell, RN, MSN, SHGM Women’s Health Services Coordinator. Attacking a woman’s reproductive organs, cervical cancer is often spread through various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection. With prevalence of cervical cancer at an all-time high, it is crucial for women to have Pap smears done at least every two years starting at the age of 21 or once they become sexually active.

Dr. Melissa Bayne, OB/GYN physician at SHGM will be the presenter for this interesting program on pap tests and other lifestyle choices to help prevent cervical cancer. This year, don’t put off prevention – being proactive turns that nagging fear of the unknown into well-deserved peace of mind. “It’s up to all of us in this community to make sure that the women in our lives are protected against cervical cancer, which oftengoes undetected because symptoms don’t show up until much later in the disease process,” stresses Dr. Bayne.

SHGM’s Happy Pappy New Year campaign invites all women to fight the good fight against cervical cancer, leaving no room for defeat and only the possibility of VICTORY! SHGM encourages, supports and appreciates the life women lead – let’s make cervical cancer history!
For more information on Happy Pappy New Year and cervical cancer prevention, contact our Women’s Health Services at 231.924.7139 or gerberhospital.org to reserve your place for this informative and useful program-mothers and daughters are encouraged to attend together. Cost is only $10 (Spirit of Women members $5).

Happy Pappy New Year is powered by Spirit of Women and presented locally by Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial. Spirit of Women is a national network of leading hospitals dedicated to improving women’s lives with innovative health and community programs. Spirit of Women Hospitals touch the lives of millions of women each year through the presentation of educational events, consumer membership programs, annual conferences, marketing communications and grassroots efforts to improve the health and well-being of women everywhere. Spirit of Women enables participating hospitals to focus on community needs while providing the strength of national support. Visit http://www.spiritofwomen.com.