Cervical cancer facts

Cervical cancer is nearly 100 percent preventable, yet it's estimated that 11,270 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with it this year, and 4,070 will die from it.

The Coalition of Labor Union Women (www.cluw.org) has issued the following guidelines:

• Age 9-26: ask your provider about the HPV vaccine.
• By age 21: Get an annual Pap test.
• Age 30 and older: Ask for an HPV test along with your Pap test.

Thanks to union-negotiated benefits, many union women have medical coverage to pay for these tests.

Visit www.pearlofwisdom.us for further information.

Beauty from the beast

A calender featuring artwork and poetry of fourth- and fifth-graders attending an annual bully prevention workshop is now available to teachers for $3 postage from the Child Abuse Prevention Services at 516-621-0551.

The non-profit organization provides bully prevention and child safety education programs free to K-12 classes on Long Island. Staff development and parent programs are available for a fee.

For information, check out www.capsli.org.

AIDS awareness

October is AIDS Awareness Month in the United States. Information and a variety of resources are available from a variety of organizations.

• AIDS Healthcare Foundation provides medicine and advocacy in 22 countries. Visit www.aidshealth.org
• To find an AIDS Walk, search the national directory at www.aidswalk.net.
• Visit www.hivtreatmentispower.com for more information on the illness itself.

Help for lungs

The American Lung Association helpline at 1-800-LUNGUSA provides answers to questions about lung cancer, asthma, allergies, emphysema, smoking cessation and environmental health.

The call center is staffed by registered nurses and registered respiratory therapists.

Information is also available on home care, pediatric care, adult intensive care, Medicare and Medicaid.