GSK partners with VMV Hypoallergenics to spread awareness on cervical cancer

I had a friend who died of cervical cancer. She was in her 30s when we first met. She was healthy to begin with, had an active lifestyle,  not the one who would get the dreaded disease. No signs of pain whatsoever, until she complained of severe pelvic pain in her early 50s and died 3 years after. She was diagnosed Stage 4.  I was just speechless. There was a time I asked if she had her pap smear done annually. She told me she never had after giving birth to her youngest,  because she felt well and that she had no time for OB Gyne check up and she was busy with children and work. If she had diagnosed and treated earlier, she would have live longer. With all our busy schedules, always find time to visit your OB Gyne, have a regular pap smear and ask for a cervical vaccine.

GSK Philippines partners with VMV Hypoallergenics in raising cervical cancer awareness last May 28 at Isabela Ballroom, Makati Shangri-la. and help women put on their power pout against cervical cancer. The campaign was hosted by MTV VJ TV Host Ms. Andi Manzano and graced by cervical cancer survivor guests and doctor panels from GSK. I learned a lot about the informative talk, how at an early stage you can get infected by HPV(human papilloma virus) and made it to a full blown cervical cancer.

The Power Over Cervical Cancer campaign urges Filipinas to realize that they are empowered—that they can do something to prevent the disease from happening to them, so they don’t miss out on a colorful life ahead or leave their loved ones behind.

Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop and spread in the cervix, the entrance between the vagina and the uterus.  The human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common virus, is the necessary cause of cervical cancer. It has been shown that 99.7 percent of cervical cancer patients are positive for HPV infection.  It is also estimated that up to 80 percent of women will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives.

While HPV is primarily transmitted via sexual intercourse, skin-to-skin genital contact is also a recognized mode of transmission. , ,  Lifestyle changes can help prevent the development of cervical cancer, such as being conscientious about one’s sexual activities. Beyond regular consultations and pap smears by your OB-GYN, vaccines that protect against cancer-causing HPV are also now readily available.

A risk regardless of age
Based on a study of 307 women in Ontario, the incidence of cancer-causing HPV infection is actually highest at the young ages of 15-19.  The World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (WHO-SAGE) on Immunization reiterates the importance of getting young girls protected through HPV immunization before their first exposure to HPV (i.e. before sexual contact), as young as 9 years old. ,

What about older women? The risk of persistent infection with cancer-causing HPV (which is necessary for cervical cancer to develop) increases with age, and is highest when a woman is over 66 years old.  Thus, screening is recommended starting age 21 to detect cervical abnormalities that precede actual cervical cancer.  Vaccination remains to be recommended for older women to prevent new HPV infections.

Purple lips against cervical cancer

“Cancer is quite a distant concept for women who are well. What might be more important to them is keeping up with the latest trends, especially in fashion and beauty. The lipstick is a woman’s own—when she wears it, she makes a statement about herself. Through this partnership with VMV, we hope to drive women to make a statement against cervical cancer,” says Mark Castillo, GSK product manager.

Jacklyn Remo, assistant marketing manager for VMV Hypoallergenics, supports the movement: “We are fully committed toward this partnership with GSK Philippines. At VMV Hypoallergenics, we promise the safest, most proven effective care on the planet—and that extends to beauty. This unique combination of science, wellness and beauty means we also strongly stand for advocacies that help women, their health and happiness.”

JOIN THE MOVEMENT NOW—take a photo of yourself wearing VMV Hypoallergenics’ Tutu or Chorus Line lipstick (or a photo of you holding your kiss mark from the lipstick) and post it on Instagram and Facebook with the hashtags #PowerPout and #PowerOverCervicalCancer!

A health service message brought to you by GSK. For further information on cervical cancer, please consult your doctor.

Panadol helps Ryan's super moments with family pain-free!

Panadol the world's trusted pain reliever launches its Philippines ambassador father/athlete/host  Ryan Agoncillo to the media last March 19, at New World Hotel, Makati. Ryan a dedicated father to his children – Yohan and Lucho – spends as much time as he can with his family. There is no way for pain to get through with his bonding moments for the love of his life. So when pain arrives, Ryan knows what reliable pain relieving paracetamol to turn to.

As a sportsman who is into motorcycles and triathlons, Ryan is no stranger to aches and pain. But he doesn’t let any kind of discomfort like headache get in the way of a quality time with his equally energetic son, making their moments together pain-free. But whenever pain or headache strikes, he puts his trust on Panadol. And like a true superhero, he has the power of quick recovery in the eyes of his son.

“My family is my top priority. Even if I get busy with work and my other pursuits, I make sure that I get to spend quality with my wife and my kids. But, sometimes, because of my workload, I suffer from terrible headaches,” Ryan relates. “Fortunately, there’s Panadol. It offers fast relief to make my super moments with my family pain-free! Indeed, when pain is gone, life takes its place.”

The global leading healthcare company commits itself on improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer with (paracetamol) Panadol as the world’s trusted pain reliever, sold in more than 85 countries.

 Panadol with Optizorb is a type of paracetamol caplet that works five times faster than regular formulation. It contains the same amount of paracetamol (500 mg) found in Panadol, so you can feel confident in its ability to relieve pain such as headache and fever.

“Seven out of 10 Filipinos suffer from regular headaches. The time wasted on dealing with this kind of pain should have been better spent on more important things like quality time with the family,” says JeoffreyYulo, General Manager – Consumer Healthcare, GSK Philippines. “This dilemma encourages GSK to continue providing a fast and effective solution like Panadol to pain sufferers.

  What makes Panadol with Optizorb truly different from other branded and generic paracetamol products is that it is the only product to contain Optizorb, which has revolutionized the way paracetamol tablets are dispersed in the body, so it allows paracetamol to reach the bloodstream more quickly and be carried to where it acts to fight pain, five times faster.”

(Paracetamol) Panadol with Optizorb comes in 36 x 10s dispenser box and a 10s pack. Each tablet has an SRP of PHP 4.00 and is available at all leading drugstores nationwide.

For more information on pain management, visit www.panadol.com.