A Silent Killer Every Woman Should Be Tested for Yearly

A few months ago I wrote about 'No Shave November', when men stop shaving their faces to raise awareness for men's health. Now an important subject for women.

Well this month it's time to give a reminder to all ladies. January is Cervical Health Awareness month. Around 13,000 women a year are diagnosed with cervical cancer according to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition.

This doesn't need to be the case because it is almost always preventable. So how do you prevent it? Simple. Go get your yearly pap smear and HPV screening. One appointment a year could save your life. There are also HPV vaccines available that can actually prevent some strands of the disease, which causes cervical cancer.

If you are worried about the cost, visit the Winnebago County Health Department website to see if you qualify for free services or financial help.

HPV is a silent STD with 1.4 million new infections a year. Don't go untested. And make sure your friends don't either. Pass this along and save a life.