Pay for a Cervical Cancer Screening
Donation protected
My name is Courtney, and the organization in which I am raising money for is the Prerana Women's Health Initiative. They were established in 2007 and provide low-cost healthcare to women who are low-income. They participate in both in-house treatments and mobile clinics. Prerana frequently travels throughout Mysore to provide screenings and referrals. The cost for all of this work is approximately $6 for each woman. Routine reproductive medical care costs about $3-- less than a 4 for $4.
This summer, I lived in Mysore, India for 27 days. This meant that myself and 17 other students from Florida International University were immersed in the culture and witnessed first-hand many of the adversities the citizens must endure on a day-to-day basis. What most caught my attention was the difficulty for woman to receive cervical cancer screenings and treatment. India is one of the largest countries in the world. With a population of 1.3 billion people, it is the second largest country in terms of population, although the seventh largest in terms of land. Approximately 48% of the citizens living in India are women. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer found in women throughout the entire world, and in India, is the most common cause of cancer-related death among women. (Narayana, Jyothi, Sunanda, Dasaratha, Pradeep, & Veerabhadrappa, 2017)
There are various reasons for women to not undergo the exam, one of which being an issue with distance. Not all women have access to motorcycles or cars, therefore are unable to be seen. There is also the thought of cost, considering 70% of the hospitals in India are privately owned, meaning there are fees that go along with treatment. This contrasts public hospitals, where the fees are based on a sliding scale. There is also culture that has to be considered, as speaking of one's sexual history is taboo. The stigma for contracting HPV or having problems with one’s female reproductive system tends to cause women to be outcasted, embarrassed, and reluctant to screenings or treatment. The problem is the only way to potentially survive cervical cancer is to participate in frequent screenings, as well as undergoing a treatment process.
To counteract distance, many citizens in India are creating mobile clinics, where doctors travel with their supplies in a bus or van and distribute health care to those too far from a clinic. It is only after being seen that women may need to travel to a clinic. There are even organizations in which drivers will transport people of one village to and from the clinics on a certain day.
One of the main reasons women in India are reluctant to screenings and treatment is the inability to leave household chores for the day. This includes cooking three meals for the family, watching the children, cleaning, and other household chores. During one of the mobile clinic days in which we traveled into a rural community and gave free exams, women came and were unfortunately able to be seen, as they had to return home to finish their responsibilities.
Women's reproductive health in India needs to be prioritized. Women are almost being seen as expendable, with cervical cancer deaths rising and no extra effort being made by the patriarchal society.
Please help me provide for these disadvantaged women. The organization is funded by only fundraisers, private donations, and other assistance through other organizations.
Every single dollar counts.
Thank you so much for even giving this a read,
Courtney Greenidge
Narayana, G., Suchitra, M. J., Sunanda, G., Ramaiah, J. D., Kumar, B. P., & Veerabhadrappa, K. V. (2017). Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward cervical cancer among women attending Obstetrics and Gynecology Department: A cross-sectional, hospital-based survey in South India. Indian Journal Of Cancer, 54(2), 481-487. doi:10.4103/ijc.IJC_251_17
This summer, I lived in Mysore, India for 27 days. This meant that myself and 17 other students from Florida International University were immersed in the culture and witnessed first-hand many of the adversities the citizens must endure on a day-to-day basis. What most caught my attention was the difficulty for woman to receive cervical cancer screenings and treatment. India is one of the largest countries in the world. With a population of 1.3 billion people, it is the second largest country in terms of population, although the seventh largest in terms of land. Approximately 48% of the citizens living in India are women. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer found in women throughout the entire world, and in India, is the most common cause of cancer-related death among women. (Narayana, Jyothi, Sunanda, Dasaratha, Pradeep, & Veerabhadrappa, 2017)
There are various reasons for women to not undergo the exam, one of which being an issue with distance. Not all women have access to motorcycles or cars, therefore are unable to be seen. There is also the thought of cost, considering 70% of the hospitals in India are privately owned, meaning there are fees that go along with treatment. This contrasts public hospitals, where the fees are based on a sliding scale. There is also culture that has to be considered, as speaking of one's sexual history is taboo. The stigma for contracting HPV or having problems with one’s female reproductive system tends to cause women to be outcasted, embarrassed, and reluctant to screenings or treatment. The problem is the only way to potentially survive cervical cancer is to participate in frequent screenings, as well as undergoing a treatment process.
To counteract distance, many citizens in India are creating mobile clinics, where doctors travel with their supplies in a bus or van and distribute health care to those too far from a clinic. It is only after being seen that women may need to travel to a clinic. There are even organizations in which drivers will transport people of one village to and from the clinics on a certain day.
One of the main reasons women in India are reluctant to screenings and treatment is the inability to leave household chores for the day. This includes cooking three meals for the family, watching the children, cleaning, and other household chores. During one of the mobile clinic days in which we traveled into a rural community and gave free exams, women came and were unfortunately able to be seen, as they had to return home to finish their responsibilities.
Women's reproductive health in India needs to be prioritized. Women are almost being seen as expendable, with cervical cancer deaths rising and no extra effort being made by the patriarchal society.
Please help me provide for these disadvantaged women. The organization is funded by only fundraisers, private donations, and other assistance through other organizations.
Every single dollar counts.
Thank you so much for even giving this a read,
Courtney Greenidge
Narayana, G., Suchitra, M. J., Sunanda, G., Ramaiah, J. D., Kumar, B. P., & Veerabhadrappa, K. V. (2017). Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward cervical cancer among women attending Obstetrics and Gynecology Department: A cross-sectional, hospital-based survey in South India. Indian Journal Of Cancer, 54(2), 481-487. doi:10.4103/ijc.IJC_251_17
Organizer
Courtney Greenidge
Organizer
Hammocks, FL
