OPERATION WIPE OUT recently participated in an international webinar focused on cervical cancer elimination, hosted by the International Rotary Fellowship of Healthcare Professionals.
Alabama Representatives:
Dr. Isabel C. Scarinci, Professor and Vice-Chair for Global and Rural Women’s Health at UAB’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, shared insights from Alabama’s groundbreaking statewide cervical cancer elimination plan. In 2023, Alabama became the first and only state in the U.S. to launch such a comprehensive plan through a partnership among the Rotary Club of Birmingham, the Alabama Department of Public Health, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and other organizations.
Two outstanding high school students from Alabama also participated:
- Amari Lowe, Valley High School senior and member of Beta Club, HOSA, and school ambassador program
- Amillion Staples, Lafayette High School senior and member of the Student Government Association, FBLA, and Delta G.E.M.S.
International Panel of Experts:
The webinar featured distinguished speakers from around the world:
- Dr. Linda Eckert (University of Washington) – Internationally recognized expert in HPV vaccination and cervical cancer prevention, and author of “Enough: Because We Can Stop Cervical Cancer”
- Barbara Kamba-Nyathi (Zimbabwe) – Cervical cancer survivor, emotional healer, and award-winning entrepreneur
- Daman Mangat (Chandigarh, India) – 31-year cervical cancer survivor and founder of Sahayta patient support program
- Dr. Nyreese Castro – Area of Focus Manager for Disease Prevention & Treatment at Rotary International
- Rotaractors from India – Youth leaders from Chandigarh sharing their service perspectives
About the Organizers:
The webinar was organized by Dr. John Philip, past District Governor and Rotary Foundation Cadre Lead for Europe, Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, and Prof. Mary Ann Lumsden OBE, immediate past CEO of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO).
This international collaboration highlighted the global impact of Alabama’s efforts to eliminate cervical cancer and demonstrated how community-based partnerships can serve as models for other states and countries.
Watch the Webinar:
View the full webinar on YouTube
For more information, contact: irfhp.cervicalcancer@gmail.com