Janice R. Andrews
For many people, the fight against cancer is quite personal, and I am all too familiar with this struggle. The sensation of helplessness is immense, stemming from seeing the single mother I babysat pass away from breast cancer to seeing my own family members struggle with different types of the disease. My own experience with the potentially cancer-causing human papillomavirus, or HPV, has only served to highlight how crucial prevention is.
A major advancement in the prevention of cancer is being accomplished today. Together, Walmart and the American Cancer Society (ACS) will make the HPV vaccine accessible to boys and girls in Walmart pharmacies across the country beginning at age 9.
Through this cooperation, more families will have access to preventive healthcare because of Walmart’s wide reach—90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart shop.
About 37,300 cancer cases are reported to occur in the United States annually, with HPV being a major cause of various cancer kinds. One effective method of lowering these rates is the HPV vaccine, which offers over 90% protection against HPV-related illnesses and precancerous lesions. Walmart’s dedication to this cause is a major step towards preserving the health of future generations. Effective prevention relies heavily on early vaccination.
Walmart and ACS are aiming to remove obstacles to this important preventive action by making the vaccination easily accessible and available. Visit Walmart’s website to make an appointment for a vaccination and to learn more about this cooperation.
When we band together, we can truly make an impact in the fight against cancer.
