Our Partnership With American Academy of Pediatrics
Facts about the HPV Vaccine:
-Girls AND boys need 3 doses of #HPV vaccine at 11-12-years-old to protect them in the future.
-#HPV vaccine is recommended for boys at ages 11-12 to prevent anal cancer, penile cancer and genital warts
-Girls and boys ages 9-18 without insurance coverage qualify for the Vaccines for Children program.
-Girls AND boys need 3 doses of #HPV vaccine at 11-12-years-old to protect them in the future.
-#HPV vaccine is recommended for boys at ages 11-12 to prevent anal cancer, penile cancer and genital warts
-Girls and boys ages 9-18 without insurance coverage qualify for the Vaccines for Children program.
"We are so excited to work with the AAP. When we were initially approached with the idea to help raise awareness of the importance of the HPV vaccination, we were hooked. Since we've both been vaccinated ourselves, we understand the sheer importance of making sure that others our age (and older and even younger!) protect themselves as well."
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As two teenagers from Long Island, we have been educated about the various risks of diseases and have been taught ways to prevent the spreading of diseases. And we believed that just because we sat through a year of health class that we knew everything we needed to know to stay healthy forever. Yet today many of us are being diagnosed with the very same life-altering diseases we once took exams on. That is why we are raising awareness for the need for HPV prevention.
We are not medical professionals, but even we can see that HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the US. Almost 80 million Americans are infected with HPV right now, with 14 million people becoming newly infected every year. This virus has been known to cause many different types of cancers of the cervix, the mouth, throat, anus, vagina and penis, as well as infections like genital warts. Since this is a sexually transmitted disease, many people believe that it is unnecessary to get the HPV vaccination before they are old enough to start dating or having sex. However, most doctors say both boys and girls (yes- boys should be vaccinated as well) should be vaccinated between the ages of 10 and 12. No one knows exactly when their first time will be. With so many people out there with HPV, and who have no obvious signs or symptoms, it’s up to you and me to make sure we’re fully protected as early as possible. You have to have car insurance before you can own and drive a car, because you might have an accident. So, doesn’t it make sense to protect your body, before you’re among the 1 in 25 in the population that catches HPV this year? Dating and intimacy are not on a schedule, but vaccinations are. It takes 6 months to complete your HPV vaccination series, so by the time you realize you may want or need to protect yourself against HSV, it’s doubtful that you will have the time to do so. We want you to be vaccinated to protect yourself, your loved ones, your current and future partners, your children, and to influence others around you. By simply raising awareness for prevention, together we can protect each other from this horrible disease and stay HPV free! Stay Inspired! Jillian and Rachel Roth |