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Mother's Day Kicks Off National Women's Health Week: May 10-16

For Immediate Release: May 6, 2009


Celebrate with Planned Parenthood activities throughout the week.

This year’s National Women’s Health Week kicks off on Mother’s Day, May 10 and runs through Saturday, May 16. After pampering the mothers on Sunday, Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region invites all women to celebrate their own health through well-woman care and advocacy events.

Sunday, May 10: Pearl of Wisdom Campaign to Prevent Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women around the world. Each year, more than 11,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the United States and nearly 4,000 women will die from the disease. Cervical cancer can be prevented with a simple cancer screening Pap test and the HPV vaccine, which protects against HPV strands that could lead to cervical cancer. Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region offers FREE HPV vaccines for eligible females, ages 9 to 26. Call 1-800-230-PLAN for more information.

And visit www.pearlofwisdom.us to support cervical cancer awareness by sending Mother’s Day e-cards with “virtual” Pearls of Wisdom about cervical cancer prevention to the special women in your life.

Monday, May 11: National Women's Check-Up Day

Planned Parenthood will offer FREE breast cancer screenings at all six St. Louis health centers. According to the National Cancer Institute, there will be an estimated 178,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer this year. On average, it takes the lives of 40,000 women a year. Women between the ages of 45 and 74 are at higher risk. It is recommended that all women self-exam once a month, but get checked by a professional at least once a year.

Tuesday, May 12: Protecting Women’s Health through Advocacy

Planned Parenthood will join supporters from across Missouri to deliver petitions for the Prevention First Act (Senate Bill 329 & House Bill 999) that includes:

  • Comprehensive sex education, to require sex education courses to include information on both abstinence and contraception.
  • Birth control protection, to prohibit any government interference in a woman’s access to FDA-approved contraceptive drugs and devices.
  • Women’s health services, to restore the highly successful, general revenue funded program that for 10 years served 30,000 low income women annually with annual GYN exams and family planning services.

For more details or information, contact Angie Postal at (314) 531-7526 or [email protected].

“Encouraging women to take control of their health has been one of Planned Parenthood’s founding
principles,” said Paula Gianino, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region. “In St. Louis, we have been fortunate to be able to educate and serve women, men and teens for over 75 years.”

Planned Parenthood health centers offer services for any of your well-woman needs, from annual GYN exams, cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment, birth control and more. For more information, call 1-800-230-PLAN or visit plannedparenthood.org/stlouis.

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