There’s an HPV Test that prevents cervical cancer because it tests for the human papillomavirus.  HPV is a known cause of cervical cancer. The test can be done along with your pap test after the age of 30.  For girls and women aged 9 – 26 and the HPV vaccine is available. We now have 2 ways to fight cervical cancer. This is a big step ahead in the prevention of women’s cancers.

Did you know that HPV infections are very common in women under the age of 30? The infection usually goes away on its own without any problems though. After 30 is when HPV doesn’t go away and that is why it’s so important to get the digene HPV test.

It’s important for us to be proactive and request the digene HPV test along with our Pap test. There are still doctors who are not providing the HPV test and insurance companies that do not cover it. You can learn what to do in these cases from the digene HPV test site. You can also find information about HPV itself, what to do if you have HPV and ways to advocate for this test and for women who have cervical cancer.

I had the pleasure of meeting actress Marissa Jaret Winokur and Christine Baze of The Yellow Umbrella (theyellowumbrella.org), who both had cervical cancer and are speaking out about it and the need for the HPV test. Although we may think that we can’t do as much as them because they’re well know, we can still can do our parts by sharing this information with our family and friends, by getting vaccinated (or having our children vaccinated) and getting tested ourselves.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of the QIAGEN digene HPV test. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

During BlogHer10 I was proud to sport my City Of  Hope button. I gave out buttons to so many bloggers that I lost count. When I did, I was able to tell them why I’m All In for the City of Hope Women’s Cancer’s Movement and am a City of Hope Ambassador.

Women and even the few men I met were willing and eager to support City of Hope as it raises money for research, provides information about breast and gynecological cancers and seeks to raise the number of survivors with these types of cancers. City of Hope also provides state of the art treatment for women’s cancers at their hospital in California.

When I gave out the I’m All In buttons and cards for City of Hope, some people shared their stories of being a survivor, of losing a loved one or knowing someone currently being treated for a type of women’s cancer. It was touching to have people open up to me through the this opportunity of working with City of Hope.

A number of tweets went out to share about City of Hope and I thank those that did that. You can find them by doing a Twitter Search for City of Hope.

I have a few photos of me at BlogHer10 wearing my I’m All In button, but it’s somewhat hard to see (no closeups for me!):

I had the opportunity to interview Robyn Wright from Robyn’s Online World about her mother’s experience with breast cancer and her first mammogram:

Please follow City of Hope on Twitter and on FaceBook to see what how you can help further.

A $30 donation from Mom Central will be made to City of Hope for my blog posts. I’ve asked for the $30 Sephora gift card to be donated as well. If it is not, I will donate it to a local breast cancer support group.

Please keep an eye on me while I’m at BlogHer. Not just because I’m a City of Hope BlogHer Ambassador, but because I may end up in a heap on the floor. I’m hoping it will be in a chair or in the privacy of my hotel room, but I just don’t know.

I can’t blame it on the al-al-al-alcohol because I don’t drink, instead it will be because I’m bone tired. Not just the normal tired, but the “I can’t stay awake even if there’s a vibrator in a swag bag” tired.

You see, I just learned at my doctor’s appointment today, that my Potassium level is low. Please don’t tell me to eat bananas. It doesn’t do anything. I eat a diet full of potassium, take potassium and meds to increase Potassium. My doctor also told me that even though I get B12 shots every two weeks, my blood work showed my B12 levels in the low/average level. He doesn’t know why, but understands why I’m tired all the time. I’ll be having more blood work when I get home.

So if you see me sleeping in the middle of a session that is really interesting, or sleeping in the middle of a loud party, or even falling asleep while you’re talking to me, give me a break. And show me to my hotel room.

*Image by chopstixOO

I’m proud to announce that I’m City of Hope BlogHer Ambassador! I’ll be sharing the important information about the City of Hope Women’s Cancer Program at BlogHer. In case you don’t recognize me from my photos or from my BlogHer name tag, I’ll be wearing an “I’m All In” Button. When you see me, please ask for a button so you can let other BlogHer attendees know about City of Hope too.

City of Hope is creating a movement to improve research and treatment of women’s cancers. They also are working to increase the number of women who are diagnosed with breast and gynecological cancers survive. They are asking for all of us to get “All In” to help realize these goals.

Many of my readers know why I’m All In – my mother’s recent diagnosis of breast cancer. I’ve also had an aunt who died from ovarian cancer, an aunt through marriage die from breast cancer as well as friends and coworkers who were diagnosed with breast cancer.

I’ll be writing more about the City of Hope and it’s Women’s Cancers Program during and after BlogHer. You can learn more about it from me at BlogHer when you get an “I’m All In” button. If this isn’t incentive enough, Twitpick a photo of a button and you’ll be entered into a contest to win a $10 Sephora gift card (up to five winners will be chosen).

A $30 donation from Mom Central will be made to City of Hope for my blog posts. I’ve asked for the $30 Sephora gift card to be donated as well. If it is not, I will donate it to a local breast cancer support group.