Project Give Hope: Helping to Prevent HPV & Cervical Cancer & Saving Lives in 20 Seconds by Cherissa Jackson

As a woman who believes in “service before self” and as a women’s health advocate, after retiring from the military I knew I wanted to empower women to put their health first. Creating Project Give Hope (PGH) has been a way for me to help communities educate, prevent and treat human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer.

I was stunned to learn that many women around the world don’t get pap exams, the first step to the discovery of abnormal cells that can lead to cervical cancer. After hearing this, I knew I needed to bring awareness to the importance of annual exams.

Project Give Hope saves women’s lives in 20 seconds by using a new technological device that’s FDA approved and created by the World Health Organization (WHO) called the thermocoagulator. PGH raises funds to purchase this $1500 device then gifts it to needed communities in Africa and the U.S. Our first overseas mission was to Uganda in September 2018. The thermocoagulator is hand held, battery operated and doesn’t require gas cylinders like the gold standard cryotherapy equipment. It takes 20 seconds to eradicate a pre-cancerous lesion compared to 11 minutes with the cryotherapy machine.

The goal of PGH is to gift these thermocoagulators and train medical personnel on how to use them. By doing so, we are empowering communities to help save lives and decrease rates of cervical cancer. PGH also provides reusable menstrual pads to young girls so that they can remain in school and not become sex laborers on the street. PGH is also introducing other technology like the Mark Pap test that allows a woman to complete her pap at home.

PGH is giving hope to the hopeless and providing women a means to live longer, healthier lives. What can you do to provide hope to others?

Photo: ProjectGiveHope.org