Questions for 360 Magazine with Catt Sadler on 6-20-19 on Cervical Cancer.
Question: Talking about cervical cancer. Why are women less likely to be screened?
Catt Sadler: Well, I think there’s a plethora of reasons why women are not getting screened. Sometimes it’s just that they’re so incredibly busy. You know, we forget we’re in the fast lane. We have so many obligations that we’re just not making our annual exam a priority. I also think that, a lot of women just aren’t armed with the information. The statistics are alarming. They’re shocking. One woman every two hours is dying of cervical cancer. One in five women are not getting screened for cervical cancer. More than half of the new cases of cervical cancer are in women who are rarely getting screened or aren’t getting screened at all. So we want to empower women with this information to go out and do what they need to do because cervical cancer is so very preventable, right? So if I can use my voice and be aligned with this initiative to help women get to the doctor and we can in fact change these statistics, then I will have done my job.
Question: Great. Is health insurance not taking preventative measures or is health insurance taking preventative measures for this?
Catt Sadler: It’s my understanding that health insurance is very on board with this cause. Obviously we want to eliminate the deaths associated with cervical cancer in general. So most insurance policies are covering the HPV and pap test together as part of the well visit. I understand that the Affordable Care Act also covers this particular screening. But there’s a wealth of information on changethisstat.com/ for more specifics on how it might pertain to you and whatever plan that you have personally.
Question: And what made you want to be part of this discussion?
Catt Sadler: Well, I’m a champion of women in general. I have spoken out on a lot of issues. I believe in standing up and using our voices. I’ve done that in regards to pay inequality. I work with a foundation, Women Like Us, where I’m supporting women-led causes all around the world. And so when this was brought to my attention that cervical cancer was killing so many women and that it was so preventable, it just seemed like such an easy formula that if I could use my voice and put it out there and tell women what they can so easily do to make change. It was really a no-brainer.
Question: And are there any dietary measures women can take to lessen their chances of contracting this disease?
Catt Sadler: I’m not sure about that. I am not a medical expert. But I do know that again, the website answers those very specific medical questions. I would say to go to changethisstat.com/. There is a lot of information out there all over the Internet, but not all of it is particularly accurate. I’m confident that what you will find on
changethisstat.com/ is really the best information out there for women in regards to that.
Question: And last question, can self-diagnosis help or are there any early signs women can be on the lookout for?
Catt Sadler: Not really. No. I mean, that’s what’s kind of scary about cervical cancer in particular. It’s not like you start feeling a different way necessarily. You might feel as if you’re in perfect health. There aren’t any real glaring signs necessarily, and it can happen so quickly. Hence the encouragement of going to your doctor annually and regularly, you know. It doesn’t matter your age. It doesn’t matter how you’re feeling. It’s just all of the experts in all of the research is pointing to going and getting this particular screening at your doctor.
Question: Okay, thanks. Give me that website one more time.
Catt Sadler: It’s changethisstat.com/
Question: Perfect. Thanks, Catt.
Catt Sadler: You’re welcome. All right. Take care. Bye. Bye.
