Urges women to get HPV vaccines

By Indrawattie Natram

LIVING with the support from family and friends, 44-year-old Golda Clementson is a cervical cancer survivor who is now using her experiences to influence other women living with the disease.

The mother of five children and eight loving grandchildren was diagnosed with Stage 2B cervical cancer in 2015, but was completely healed in 2016 after continuous radiation therapy and surgery. Today she uses her experiences to spread awareness amongst women who are struggling with the disease.

“When I found out that I was positive with Stage 2B cervical cancer in 2015, I didn’t act anyway, I didn’t break down, in fact, I was brave and I asked Dr. Gobin what was the next step?? And I moved on from there,” Clementson said.

Silently meditating what she would do after the news was broken to her, she remained positive, and after some time she then confided in her sister.

“I didn’t tell anyone at first, I just give myself some time, because everyone associates cancer with death. I knew that miracles do happen and with the right treatments, I was positive I would overcome the disease so I gave it some time,” the woman related.
She said she then visited the Guyana Cancer Institute where she sought the necessary advice and recommendation on the way forward. She later saved her money and began the treatments which included chemotherapy and radiation.

“I honestly prayed to God. I asked him for sustenance to do all my treatment and not to fall while I was taking them. I remained positive throughout the process,” she related.
Clementson who is an Insurance Advisor by profession said that after sometime she then mustered the courage to tell her fiancé about her illness. She said that he was okay with it and told her to take the necessary treatments. In 2016 she underwent a surgery where she removed her womb. Her surgery was successful.

During the process, she continued to go to church and surround herself with positive people. She was also taking keen advice from her oncologist, Dr. Gooding.

ADVICE

As an advocate for Cervical Cancer, she is advising females to take annual pap smears to check for HPV and to monitor the health of their cervix.

“Abnormal pap smear can affect your mental health, it creates a lot of anxiety and can be uncomfortable. I advise young females to take the HPV vaccines, it is widely publicised. Get vaccinated and protect your body,” the cancer survivor advised.

She said that she believes that the key to avoiding anxiety and fear about cancer is to arm oneself with knowledge. “Getting yourself checked-up and tested is important but for most women, an abnormal result should not send fear, the majority of cervix health issues are treatable and you can feel confident that the next time you take a check-up everything will be fine”.

IMMUNE SYSTEM
Clementson said after her surgery and her regular checkups which includes pelvic examinations and CT scans, she has started to boost her immune system with natural remedies such as turmeric, ginger and lemon. She started to monitor her diet and most times avoid fatty consumption.

“With good nutrition and the right supplements, your immune system could fight off an HPV infection and replace abnormal cells with healthy tissue, with a strong immune system your body should be able to clear HPV itself,” Clementson advised.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) 90 per cent of HPV infections will clear in two years, providing that women boost their immune system.

Clementson also challenged men to be there for their partners and go with them to clinic appointments. She said men need to provide that unconditional support to their spouse, especially when they are suffering from the disease.

FACTS

According to Wikipedia, Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix — the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, play a role in causing most cervical cancer. According to Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) website, over 83,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer and almost 36,000 died from this disease in the Region of the Americas, in 2012. Screening women for cervical pre-cancer, followed by treatment, is a cost-effective intervention to prevent cervical cancer. Approximately 70 per cent of cancer cases could be avoided through HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccination of adolescent girls.