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About NCCC
What is the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) and when was it founded?
First founded in 1996, The National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) is a growing coalition of people battling cervical cancer and HPV related issues.
The Coalition includes:
- Primarily Women, family members, friends and caregivers,
- Women’s groups
- Cytotechnologists,
- Pathologists and Gynecologists
- Laboratorians
- Bio-Tech companies
- Cancer Researchers
- Hospitals
- Organizations providing cervical cancer detection programs
- Other related associations, both national and worldwide
- A grass roots campaign to educate the public about cervical cancer/HPV Prevention, Detection and Outreach
- New Prevention through vaccination
- Cervical cancer/HPV prevention, detection and screening awareness
- What HPV is, HPV Tests and potential for HPV typing and its great success and limitations.
- The limitations of the Pap test AND its overwhelming success as a screening tool for clinicians. And newer Pap Test Imaging for enhanced accuracy with liquid-based Pap tests.
The roots for the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) first developed during 1995 and 1996. At this time there was no safe place for women to go that were battling issues related to cervical cancer. Also, around this time, some cytopathology labs had to close their doors as a result of unrealistic levels of low reimbursement rates set by the federal and state Medicare and Medicaid programs, State and County family planning centers, and other Not For Profit reproductive health clinics nationwide. It was also becoming apparent that managed care entities (HMOs, IPAs) expected the Pap test included in their capitated per-patient clinical lab costs, and this left it unrealistically under-reimbursed.
What efforts does NCCC undertake in its outreach, prevention and education efforts to the public and to clinicians?
The NCCC has developed outreach efforts and participates with others in various outreach, prevention, awareness and education efforts.
Examples of some NCCC efforts have been the development of the nation’s first cervical cancer/HPV Hotline for women and family members battling issues related to cervical cancer and HPV disease.
The NCCC developed the cervical cancer/HPV Quilts project that travels the country and helps to place a personal face on the battle against cervical cancer.
The NCCC began the nations FREE Pap Test Day held the second Friday of January for women that have not had a Pap test for three (3) years. Now entering its 9th year in 2008, the FREE Pap Test Day continues to grow throughout many states nationwide.
The NCCC has sponsored four conferences with CME credits for physicians along with the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) on gynecologic cancers.
The NCCC has participated with organizations such as the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Centers For Disease, Control and Prevention (CDC) in education research conferences on cervical cancer and all cancers. The Chair of the Board of the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) is a member of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Director’s Consumer Liaison Group (DCLG).
The NCCC runs its award winning cervical cancer web site and is developing a national network of local state affiliates. The NCCC cosponsored two fundraising conferences on cervical cancer issues in Malawi, Africa and has held prevention education fundraisers such as bowl-a-thons, jazz nights, magic nights, comedy nights etc.
The NCCC has held its National meeting in Washington DC with it NCCC member women and family members that have or had cervical cancer and HPV disease. At the NCCC conference and other outlets the NCCC speaks out that there should be NO STIGMA associated with cervical cancer or HPV disease.
How is the coalition working to attain these goals?
The coalition is developing a national grass roots effort in all 50 states. Through the efforts of our coalition members, we are explaining the issues facing women and cervical cancer/HPV prevention with vaccination, regular Pap testing and HPV Testing when recommended.
Again, we work at reducing the stigma that maybe associated with HPV infection and cervical cancer.
At the grass roots level, the NCCC membership desires to see as many young girls and women vaccinated as possible to prevent cancer. In order for this to occur there must be insurance coverage for the vaccines including coverage for poor and/or underserved working women. Ongoing cervical cancer prevention programs through the regular Pap test and HPV testing when recommended must continue and be enhanced to further help in cancer prevention and detection.
How important are the cervical cancer screening programs?
Very important. Remember, the Pap test and HPV test is a screening test. A single Pap test and HPV test is not a one time cancer diagnostic test. It is the ongoing repetition of routine cervical cancer screening that helps to increase the accuracy of the Pap test results.
By enhancing Pap test screening though liquid-based Pap testing, Pap test imaging to enhance abnormal detection rates and HPV testing when recommended (and HPV typing some day), it will be possible for patients to actually come in less frequently for a Pap test, saving healthcare costs.
