Universities Against Cancer and Operation Wipeout presented their “Know Your Status” campaign, to help students prevent HPV-related cancers.
Lucas Ealy, the president and founder of the UA chapter of Universities Against Cancer, said in the past, the group has been on the “reactive side of cancer.” This campaign aims to tackle the “proactive” side of the disease.
HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause six different types of cancer. The “Know Your Status” campaign will specifically target cervical cancer, which can be caused by HPV, as it has the possibility of being eradicated.
“In order to eradicate a cancer, we have to be able to vaccinate against it, we have to be able to screen for it, and we have to be able to complete follow ups,” Ealy said. “With other HPV-related cancers, we can provide the vaccination. However, cervical cancer is the only one that we can do a screening for.”
The Student Government Association worked with Ealy and Universities Against Cancer to pass a resolution recognizing February as “HPV and HPV-related Cancer Awareness Month.”
Michael Dobbs, the vice president of student affairs for the SGA, said the collaboration between the SGA and UAC would be “deeply impactful” for students.
“This vaccine drive is a powerful step toward achieving that mission,” Dobbs said. “When Lucas Ealy reached out to me about this initiative, I was more than happy to support him in any way possible.”
A group of organizations have joined the initiative, including Project Health, the College of Community Health Sciences, the Student Health Center, the Capstone College of Nursing, STEM Path to MBA and the Greek Programming Board.
Kylie Buchanan, a junior majoring in biology, got involved with the initiative through her STEM Business Honors classes. Her group chose to focus HPV awareness, and later got involved with UAC.
“We’ve been planning events since last fall or this previous fall, and our events are this week actually,” Buchanan said. “We’re trying to raise $10,000 for Universities Against Cancer so they can continue HPV education and support local cancer patients in the community.”
Ealy said that students should care about this initiative because “everyone” has been impacted by cancer in some way. Dobbs also said he has seen how “impactful” the campaign has been.
“We want to support students in every way possible, including addressing their well-being holistically,” Dobbs said. “Our goal is to ensure students have the tools not only to succeed at UA, but to thrive beyond it as well.”
UAC will continue their pushing their initiative through hosting fundraising and awareness events throughout February. The group will hold a vaccine status check from Feb. 9-13 and a mobile vaccination drive with College of Community Health Sciences from Feb. 23-27.
“Putting in the five minutes today will protect your health for years to come,” Ealy said.
