1. SUPPORT
“The people that do this …
are some of the best
people in the world.”
- E.W., Survivor
HOPE
“They saved my life and
quite honestly, I’ve got a lot
of dues to pay and this is
just my way I can do it.”
- E.W., Survivor
AWARENESS
“Most of the people who
come and get screened are
very, grateful.”
- M.P., Volunteer
PREVENTION
“Get in, get checked, get
piece of mind.”
- P.B., Survivor
When, James went in for his yearly dental
check-up in 2004, the dentist spotted an ulcer on his tonsils. He was
sent to an ENT where a biopsy revealed that James had HPV positive
mouth and throat cancer. He was a nonsmoker in his early 50s who
did not drink or chew tobacco. So how could he have mouth and throat
cancer? James underwent chemo radiation and has been cancer free
for five years but continues to have difficulty swallowing, loss of taste,
and dental problems from loss of saliva.
James’s story is just one of many. Risk factors, such as smoking, chewing
tobacco and alcohol are commonly attributed to mouth and throat cancer
however, there has been an alarming 200% increase in the amount of mouth
and throat cancer due to human papillomavirus (HPV). The occurrence of
HPV related mouth and throat cancers are greater in men than women and
by 2020, it is predicted that HPV will cause more mouth and throat cancers
than cervical cancers in the United States. Ultimately, the more risk factors
an individual is exposed to, the greater the chance of hearing the words,
“You have cancer.”
So, what can we do about it?
We can EDUCATE! Studies have shown that 15% of people in the United
States have NEVER heard of oral, head, and neck cancer. An additional 40%
know very little about it.
We can COLLABORATE! By combining the efforts of several key groups
working in the area of mouth and throat cancer, support and public
awareness can be optimized to best serve those dealing with these diseases.
We can TRAIN PROFESSIONALS! Providing high-level training for a new
generation of medical professionals (such as nurse practitioners, dental
hygienists, medical students, and speech-language pathologists) in mouth
and throat cancer screening will increase the opportunities of identifying the
cancer in its early stages.
We can SCREEN! A Voice for Hope has developed a welcoming, high-
quality, safe, and educational setting where individuals can come to assess
their risk, and current status and can learn more about mouth and throat
cancer at NO COST.
Raise YOUR voice and join A Voice for Hope in providing education,
advocacy, and screenings for mouth and throat cancer.
Early detection saves lives!
“The more we can get to
participate, the more we
can find and get treated.”
- K.C., Volunteer