January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and Marion County Public Health is continuing to offer the “Care for Yourself” screening program.

According to Marion County Public Health Nurse Judi Van Hulzen, roughly 4,000 women die of cervical cancer each year and this month along with year round is a reminder that early detection can save lives. More than 95% of cervical cancer cases are caused by the HPV Virus and women should get screened every three years. As a state, Iowa ranks second in the nation of all new cancer cases in general. Van Hulzen says that early detection is absolutely crucial.

“We want to prevent it. The National Cervical Prevention Awareness Month is a reminder that early detection really does save lives. It’s so preventable. In Iowa in particular we are second in the nation in the amount of cancer cases we have overall, so why not try and prevent the cancer cases that we can because cervical cancer is so preventable.”

Women between the ages of 21 and 64 years of age can receive free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings from a doctor through Marion County Public Heath as part of the “Care for Yourself” program.