Dubrovnik gets a sprinkling of yellow for Mimosa Day, a national humanitarian action devoted to the fight against cervical cancer.
Mimosa Day has left its mark today in Dubrovnik’s beautiful Old City as the League Against Cancer Dubrovnik and the Croatian League Against Cancer distributed information leaflets on how to help prevent the horrendous disease which takes the lives of thousands of women around the world every year. They also organised the sale of traditional mimosas. In the Republic of Croatia alone, 300 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually, with 120 of them losing their lives to the disease.
Cervical cancer can strike at any time and continues to hold the title of fourth most common cancer noted in females, despite enormous scientific efforts and advancements to bring the numbers of women and girls dying of the disease down. Early detection of abnormal cell activity (pre-cancerous cells) is the key to both prevention and successful treatment of cervical cancer. Unfortunately, the disease usually remains asymptomatic in its early stages, and regularly going for a PAP Smear/Test is essential.
The 11th European Week of Cervical Cancer Prevention will be marked at the end of January 2017.
Cervical cancer is frustratingly very vague when it comes to symptoms and many of the effects presented by the disease are often self-resolving hormonal issues and nothing to be concerned about, however persistant symptoms that may warrant a visit to your GP include abnormal vaginal bleeding, unexplained weight loss, alterations in menstrual cycle, lethargy, constipation, chronic abdominal pain and blood in the urine. If you are worried about cervical cancer, talk to your doctor.
