The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just announced the winners of the 2018 HPV Vaccine Is Cancer Prevention Champion Award for outstanding efforts to protect adolescents from cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). The Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI), the American Cancer Society (ACS), and CDC have partnered to create this award program to recognize clinicians, clinics, practices, groups, and health systems that are above and beyond to foster HPV vaccination among adolescents in their community. Every year, the program honors up to one Champion from all 50 U.S. states, eight U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States, and the District of Columbia. This year, the program is honoring champions from 32 states.

NACCHO is pleased to note that a local health department in Wyoming is among this year’s awardees! The Uinta County Public Health Nursing Service, Lyman Office is a complete health clinic for the communities within Bridger Valley, a rural area in the southwest corner of Wyoming. The staff have embraced HPV vaccination as a personal responsibility, especially since they are one of the few healthcare providers in the community. We’re honored to congratulate Uinta County Public Health on this well-deserved award and applaud the work being done there.

HPV vaccine is important because it protects against cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. HPV is a very common virus; nearly 80 million people are currently infected in the United States. Every year in the United States, 33,700 women and men are diagnosed with a cancer caused by HPV infection. HPV vaccination could prevent more than 90% of these cancers—about 31,000—from occurring. Both boys and girls should start the HPV vaccine series when they are 11 or 12 years old and finish all recommended doses before they turn age 13.The HPV vaccine series can be started as early as age 9.

Visit CDC’s HPV Champions website to learn more about Uinta Public Health’s work, along with that of other awardees.