On June 2 2018,  the Montreal’s Yoruba Community hosted Dr. Edna Naa Okaikor Aryee – Botchway and I in a showdown that focused majorly on health and wealth.

Here are the take homes from the cervical cancer session:

– Black Women have the HIGHEST DEATH RATE from cervical cancer and SECOND HIGHEST INCIDENCE (lost my only sister to this). Why black women? Check slide number 1 and 2.

– Your LIFETIME RISK of human papilloma virus (HPV) is 80%! Yes, HPV has no symptoms as such, you may not know you have it! Women older than 30 have at least 20% chance of being DIAGNOSED with cervical cancer (slide 2).

– Nearly 50% of high school students have engaged in sexual (vaginal-penile) intercourse. As such, HPV is now detected in 45.5% VIRGINS (prior to first vaginal sex). Virginity doesn’t equal abstinence and now don’t try to defend your daughters.

– There is a high rate of oropharyngeal / oral cancer related to HPV among MEN! Check slide 4 for statistics for Canada and symptoms. Oral cancer is a big issue as we are all kissing our partners and we don’t know what is going on in their mouth. Please use your dental plan deducted from your salary. Only your dentist can see what’s going on in your mouth!

– Genital Warts developing from cervical cancer is also a big issue. I can’t show slides (too gory) but those bumps you see on your body may be warts. Go and see your doctor.

– A case study showed that even people in monogamous relationships/ marriages are still at a high risk of HPV infection (slide number 5).

– Slide 4 shows how cervical cancer develop from HPV, what you need to know about HPV and HPV types that causes cervical cancer.

– Information about how often you should get screened is also attached. Please vaccinate your BOYS and GIRLS at age 11-12. And go and ask to be vaccinated if you are female and younger than 45 years old! In Canada, it’s like you have to battle the doctors before they prescribe anything. So, do your research and go all out to tell your doctors the researched facts. If you are Hispanic, Asian or Black, don’t take any chances on HPV. Get the vaccination please.

Thank you and I hope this information encourages you to research about HPV | Cervical cancer | oropharyngeal (oral) cancer | vaccinate yourself and your boys and girls against the diseases.

Other areas touched on are:

– Obesity in the black community,

– Entrepreneurial thinking VS Critical thinking

– Dr Edna’s session on the psychology of the brain, depression and why black people are artists and not scientists is mind-blowing.

Please note that I am not a “medical doctor” but I am a researcher and I have collected these data from the pain of losing my only sister to HPV-associated cervical cancer. And every time I put up a post about HPV and cervical cancer, I receive at least 3 women reports weeks later who did the diagnosis and have CIN 1 or 2.

Data don’t lie! Take action to stay alive for those who love you! Get screened and get vaccinated! Do same for your children!#CervicalCancerAwareness #HPV #DataDriven #STEMHubFoundation