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An Ounce of Prevention for a Pound of Cure– A Kids Vaccine That Prevents Cancer Bob Rauner, MD, MPH, President, Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln

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n ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure— especially for healthy kids and families. A well balanced life of eating right, exercising, and getting adequate sleep together can actually prevent some diseases. Other diseases we can get vaccinated for, especially children. Did you know that one of the recommended vaccines for your 7th grader would prevent the majority of cervical and throat cancers in the United States? The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, which is recommended in all adolescents, would do just that if more kids were vaccinated. Right now, only about 50%

of kids get the vaccine. But just by increasing the vaccination rates for kids to over 80%, most of the 30,000 cases of cancer caused by HPV could be prevented. Because of this, most of the pediatricians and many of the family physicians in Lincoln have launched an initiative with a goal of vaccinating over 80% of Lincoln’s kids by 2020. The HPV vaccine is recommended for both boys and girls and the best time to start the vaccine is around age 11 or 12. Because this is about the time most kids get their required 7th grade physical in Nebraska, Lincoln clinics will be making a coordinated effort to make sure Lincoln children have received their first vaccine at that time. Two additional reasons to receive the HPV vaccine with the 7th grade physical is that new recommendations require only two vaccinations

instead of three if the series is started before age 15. In addition, the latest studies show the vaccine is much more effective if started at age 11 or 12 compared to waiting until later. The Lincoln HPV vaccination initiative is a multipronged approach to get Lincoln kids vaccinated. The first stage started with a letter sent to all Lincoln Public Schools parents by the Lancaster County Medical Society along with recorded TV interviews on three Lincoln TV stations. The second stage is a coordinated effort by clinics to make sure all kids coming in for their 7th grade physicals receive their first vaccination at that time. The third stage will be an effort

to get all kids back to the clinic six months later to complete the series, which for many kids will be around the same time they should be coming for their fall flu shot. So eat right, be active, get a good night’s sleep, spend some time with the family, and make sure your kids get all their vaccines this year. Talk to your healthcare provider for more information. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln (PHL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health, wellness, and fitness of our community. We collaborate with other organizations on joint projects to improve health by increasing physical fitness, promoting good nutrition, supporting breastfeeding, and improving cancer screening rates. Our work includes improving health and wellness policies, conducting community level research, and evaluating the success of local health initiatives.

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