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It's important because it's something that can affect every girl in the world really.
I thought, you know, why not raise awareness; why not help all my fellow females?
I told Isabella to get it. I told Phoebe to get it. I told Ruby, Flora, Villy ...
We thought it would be important for girls to know about it and help them to hopefully
get it as well.
I really wanted to know what the vaccine protected me against.
Well, I'm pretty sure it's cervical cancer.
It's four strains of HPV.
It protects you against 70% of cervical cancers.
Ninety per cent of genital warts.
I don't exactly know what it stands for.
Papa ů I can't pronounce it sorry.
HPV stands for human pappillomas virus?
Human papa-pla-pla ...
What does HPV stand for? Human Papilloma Virus.
Well, I'd like to get more information about it.
If someone asked me what HPV is, I would tell them...
HPV is a common, sexually transmitted infection.
It usually has no effects and leaves the body naturally.
Some high-risk types of HPV can cause serious illness.
It can develop into cervical cancer.
What is cervical cancer?
Wait, I know it, I've got it on the tip of my tongue...
It's cancer of the ***.
Which is in the lower part of the uterus or womb.
Do you know why it's important for us to get the vaccine at our age?
Because that's mostly before you're, like, sexually active.
It's because we produce more antibodies at our age.
We have a better immune response to the vaccine.
It's not free forever so you may as well get it when it's in the school program.
If you miss out then each dosage is $150.
I can probably think of a lot of things I would want to spend that money on, like shopping,
clothes, movie tickets!
So get it while you can.
It's really important to speak to your parents about it. Just so, first of all so you can
get your permission slip signed so you can get it at school for free.
They can definitely tell you about it, or even if they're not that sure, they can find
out more about it.
You're supposed to get three doses.
One.
Two.
Three!
You need three over six months to be most effective.
If you happen to miss an injection, it's no problem, you can just get a catch up appointment
with your local GP.
We have to go and get it done!
I will soon...
Everyone wants to know if it hurt.
The waiting period is worse than when it actually happened, because you'll think, 'Oh my God,
is it going to really, really hurt?' No.
Well, I didn't feel it.
And plus you get lollipops afterwards so it makes up.
There's a few bits of advice I would give on the day.
Wear short sleeves.
Make sure you have a big breakfast.
And ask questions whenever you want to.
And don't forget to look forward to the lollipops.
Sixty-five million doses have been given safely worldwide.
In over a hundred countries.
I think it's pretty safe.
There's some pretty amazing figures on the early results of the vaccine.
It's halved the incidences of abnormal cells in girls under 18.
And reduced the incidences of genital warts by 90%.
It's a pretty effective vaccine.
Who would have thought that just three needles would have that much impact on the whole cancer?
Do you still need to have regular pap tests when you're older?
You do because it doesn't, like, protect you 100%. There's still a chance that you can
still get it.
My mum got diagnosed with a certain type of cancer...
Just having the experience of someone having a certain type of cancer just makes you more
aware...
If you can solve another type of cancer by just having three needles than it's really
worth it, to not have to go through what me and my family went through.
Having the HPV vaccine will reduce your risk of cervical cancer in the future.
I want to protect my future so I can still do my favourite things.
I love music. I love drama and I love my family. Things like sport I actually love.
Nature. Animals. I like a lot of things.
I don't want to get cancer.
So I'm going to get the vaccine because it could save a life one day.
Do it. It is so worth it.
You've got so much to live for.
I did it. I did it so can you.
It's no big deal.
Do it!
We did it, so can you!
If you need more information, just visit the website.
Special thanks to the girls from Princes Hill Secondary College, Victoria.