Year after year, about 12,000 women get diagnosed with cervical cancer. While cervical cancers can be treated with early detection, as much as 30% of those diagnosed fall victim to the sickness. In recognition of January being Cervical Health Awareness Month, let's learn more.

The National Cervical Cancer Coalition and the American Social Health Association urge women to get a check-up, and some may consider the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to minimize the risk of cervical cancer.

Anyone can be susceptible to cervical cancer. With such advances in detection tools and vaccines, lack of knowledge is what largely contributes to high occurrences of the illness. It is not enough to have advanced technologies to help women fight off cervical cancer. Awareness and access to health care are just as important.

HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer. Some studies put the rate of women affected by any form of HPV at about 75%. Every year, the Cervical Health Awareness Month advocates hope to increase the number of people being knowledgeable about the disease and available resources to help detect or treat diagnosis.

Since the objective of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is awareness, it is vital that women understand their own cervical health. Women should educate themselves, and mothers should educate daughters. Symptoms of Cervical Cancer do not manifest until the later stages. That is why proactive monitoring and detecting is key to preventing this horrible cancer.