Photo: Guest artist performs at the delight of the audience on A4Y's One Less Campaign Concer in partnership with MTV Philippines.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a necessary factor in the development of almost all cases of cervical cancer. HPV vaccineseffective against the two strains of HPV that currently cause approximately 70% of cervical cancer have been licensed in the U.S, Canada, Australia and the EU. Since the vaccines only cover some of the cancer causing ("high-risk") types of HPV, women should seek regular Pap smear screening, even after vaccination.]The cervix is the narrow portion of the uterus where it joins with the top of the vagina. Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, arising in the squamous (flattened) epithelial cells that line the cervix. Adenocarcinoma, arising in glandular epithelial cells is the second most common type. Very rarely, cancer can arise in other types of cells in the cervix.

Advocates for Youth Philippines Foundation, in partnership with Merck Sharpe and Dohme Philippines and Creative Cross Borders Production, recently launched it campaign against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Cervical Cancer entitled “ONE LESS!” Together, they will reach out to the women from 9 to 26 years old to provide information about the said virus, the sickness it could cause, and most important of all, ways in which the HPV could be prevented. Cervical Cancer is a life threatening disease caused by HPV types 6, 11 16 and 17. It is very important for the people, especially women of all ages, to be informed about these, for cervical cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in women behind breast cancer.

the “ONE LESS!” campaign, there would be an information drive and campaign trail to be conducted in different institutions, so as to shed light into this quiet phenomenon, which is in reality more common than all of us might think. People would be able to know the facts and be assured in the fact that there are ways to protect their selves from HPV, one of which is by having the Cervical Cancer Vaccine. By having the vaccine, anyone could by One Less! One less person to be afflicted by HPV and Cervical Cancer! One Less statistic and one less life lost to cervical cancer!