Heather
A HPV Story
At the age of 31 Heather Burcham found herself dying of cervical cancer, caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). At age 26 she had been misdiagnosed and by the time she was diagnosed with cancer years later it was too late for any treatment to be effective.
She lived the remainder of her life with two goals in mind. First, to have not “lived in vain.” She actively worked to spread the word about cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine that is available to prevent most forms of it. In an interview with ABC News she is quoted to have said, “I don’t want to have lived in vain. I don’t want my life to have no purpose whatsoever. And if I can help spread the word about cervical cancer, and the HPV vaccine, then I haven’t lived in vain.”
Her second goal was to live her remaining days to the fullest. She did her best to check off as many things on her bucket list as she could including sky diving and travel.
One of her final acts before her death was to share her story of cervical cancer in a video message. Her hope was to change just one person’s life by encouraging others to get the HPV vaccine.
Click here to find more information on HPV.
Follow us on Social Media
More booster news, this time for anyone who got a JOHNSON & JOHNSON (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine!
📰
Today, the expert committee at the FDA voted unanimously to recommend authorization of a booster dose of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine for EVERYONE 18 and older who got the J&J vaccine at least 2 months ago.
🗓️
This recommendation was based on careful review of the data which showed that while the J&J vaccine continues to provide protection against severe COVID illness for those who received the single dose (it is not showing waning effectiveness over time), a second dose strengthens the protection even further.
📈
While the experts discussed a mix-and-match approach to boosters (getting a booster of a different vaccine than your primary COVID vaccine), they did NOT vote on that today.
➡️
Reminder: this is the first phase of the regulatory process - next, the FDA will take this committee’s recommendations into account and are likely to officially expand the Emergency Use Authorizations. NEXT, the CDC’s Advisory Committee (ACIP) will meet to review the data and make more specific recommendations about who should get boosters and when. The ACIP is scheduled to meet next week and then the CDC Director will make the FINAL recommendation. We will keep you updated.
💭
And perhaps MOST importantly: getting vaccinated if you are not already is the MOST important thing you can do! These news updates about boosters to give vaccinated folks even stronger protection do *not* mean that vaccines don’t work - ALL of the vaccines continue to provide strong protection against COVID-19, especially against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. If you are not vaccinated, you are at risk. Please choose to get vaccinated if you are not already, and keep having those tough conversations with family and friends who may not be.
Q&A at the link in our bio! vaccinateyourfamily.org/covid19faq