DIRECTOR APPOINTS CERVICAL CANCER ELIMINATION TASK FORCE

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director, today appointed a 12-member task force to help educate the public about cervical cancer and develop a statetwide comprehensive prevention and control plan.

“An estimated 750 Illinois women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer this year and 230 women will die of the disease,” Dr. Whitaker said. “Getting the message out that cervical cancer is a preventable and curable disease is essential and that is why Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed legislation to create the Cervical Cancer Elimination Task Force.”

Cervical cancer, which is almost always caused by human papillomavirus, or HPV, was once the leading cause of cancer death in women. The Pap test, introduced in the 1950s, is credited with reducing the death rate for cervical cancer by 70 percent.

“The only way to continue to reduce mortality from cervical cancer is to motivate women to take charge of their health and schedule regular Pap test screenings,” Dr. Whitaker said. “I look forward to working with task force members to accomplish our mission.”

The new law, signed by Governor Blagojevich in August, was sponsored by state Sen. Debbie DeFrancesco Halvorson (D-Crete) and state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago).

The law stipulates that Cervical Cancer Elimination Task Force members include physicians, health professionals and community-based advocacy groups. Members of the General Assembly and representatives of state agencies serve as ex-officio members. .

The task force’s first meeting is to be held Dec. 6 at videoconference sites in Springfield and Chicago.

Members of the task force are:

Yvonne Collins, M.D., Assistant Professor
University of Illinois at Chicago

Stephani Huston Cox, N.P., Colposcopist
Director of Patient Services
Planned Parenthood Springfield Area
Springfield

Kelly Davenport
Allstate Insurance
Homewood

Stacie E. Geller, Ph.D., Associate Professor
University of Illinois at Chicago
Department of OB/GYN
Chicago

L. Stewart Massad, M.D.
Associate Professor and Chief
Division of Gynecologic Oncology
SIU School of Medicine
Springfield

Elizabeth S.A. Patton, R.N., Administrator
East Side Health District
East St. Louis

Maria S. Pesqueira, President and CEO
Mujeres Latinas en Acción
Chicago

Carol Wilson Saffold, M.D.
Assistant Professor
University of Chicago
Department of OB/GYN
Chicago

Quincy Scott Jr., D.O.
Associate Professor/Associate Director
SIU Family Medicine
Carbondale

Tiefu Shen, M.D., Ph.D.
Epidemiologist
Illinois Department of Public Health
Springfield

Ray Valek, President
Valek & Company
LaGrange

Gwendolyn West
Senior Partnership Development Coordinator
National Cancer Institute
Cancer Information Service
Chicago

Carol L. Adams, Ph.D., Secretary
Illinois Department of Human Services

State Rep. Patricia Bellock (R-Westmont)
Conference of Women Legislators Co-Chair

State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, (D-Chicago)

State Sen. Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete)
Conference of Women Legislators Co-Chair

Barry S. Maram, Director
Illinois Department of Public Aid

Eric E. Whitaker, M.D., M.P.H., Director
Illinois Department of Public Health