National Immunization Awareness Month – American Cancer Society

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and the American Cancer Society urges everyone to talk to their doctor about all recommended immunizations. The American Cancer Society recommends that boys and girls get the HPV vaccine between the ages of 9 and 12. Teens and young adults through age 26 who are not already vaccinated should get the HPV vaccine as soon as possible. Teens who start the series late may need 3 shots instead of 2. 
HPV, or Human Papillomavirus, is a common virus that can cause six types of cancer. While there is no treatment for HPV, there is a vaccine that can prevent it. The HPV vaccine can protect a child’s future because it helps prevent these types of cancer later in life. The vaccine is safe, effective, and long-lasting. It is recommended by the CDC, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. 
According to the Center for Disease Control, the HPV vaccine has the potential to prevent more than 90% of HPV-attributable cancers. Among teen girls, infections with HPV types that cause most HPV cancers and genital warts have dropped 88%, and among young adult women, infections have dropped 81%. 
ACS recommends that children receive the HPV vaccination to prevent cancer later in life, but it is also committed to ending childhood cancer. About 9,620 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2024. After accidents, cancer is the second leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 14.  
The Gold Together Champions campaign is the American Cancer Society’s childhood cancer initiative that raises funds to directly support research, advocacy, and patient services dedicated to childhood cancer.  
Gold Together Champions has raised 11 million dollars since 2019 to support the American Cancer Society’s critical work. In 2024, the American Cancer Society is funding 68 research grants dedicated to childhood cancer.  
Join Gold Together and you’ll be joining a community of survivors, volunteers, and supporters who believe that the future can be free from childhood cancer. 
For information about ACS support services, including the live 24/7 helpline, call 800-227-2345 or live chat via cancer.org  
For information about joining Gold Together Champions, contact Abby.Smith@cancer.org.