HPV DOCUMENTARY AND PANEL DISCUSSION ON FEB. 11 (UPDATED) 

A “community conversation” about Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and the vaccine that prevents many of the cancers it causes in men and women will take place from 6 to 9 PM on Thursday, Feb. 11 in St. Petersburg.

The event will consist of a showing of the documentary Someone You Love: The HPV Epidemic followed by a panel discussion with physicians, other health professionals and HPV cancer survivors who will answer questions from attendees. Both events will be held at the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront, 333 1st St. S., in downtown St. Petersburg.

***UPDATED LIST OF PANEL PARTICIPANTS:

• Dr. Greg Savel, Chairman, Partners Immunizing Toward Community Health (PITCH)
• Dr. Celeste Phillip, Deputy Secretary, Florida Department of Health (DOH)
• Angela and James Babson (he is an HPV survivor)
• Dearline Thomas-Brown, DOH Executive Community Health Nursing Director
• Dr. Karen Kelly, Myrtle Pediatrics, Clearwater
• Dr. David Berman - All Children’s Hospital
• Megan Forbes, sister of Kristen Forbes, one of the documentary's subjects
• Linda Ryan, three-time survivor

The events are free and open to the public. Free parking is available on a first-come basis at the Hilton. Additional parking will be available for a $12 charge. For information about on-street parking and nearby parking garages, go to the City of St. Petersburg’s site at
http://www.stpete.org/visiting_the_city/where_to_park.php

Someone You Love: The HPV Epidemic follows five women affected by the various cancers caused by HPV. According to the filmmakers, “(HPV) may be the most widespread, misunderstood and potentially dangerous epidemic that most people hardly know anything about.”

About 80 percent of all people younger than 50 will have a strain of the virus at some point in their lives. Cervical cancer is commonly caused by HPV, which also causes cancers in men. The HPV vaccine should be given to preteens when they enter middle school, but Florida’s rates are among the lowest in the nation.

The community conversation is part of the two-day HPV Summit on Feb. 11-12 for health-care professionals at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront. The summit has a $140 registration fee. For information, go to http://stellared.learningexpressce.com/index.cfm?fa=view&eventID=4841.

The events are presented by Florida’s Leading Immunization Network of Coalitions (FL LINC), Partners Immunizing Toward Community Health (PITCH) and community partners that include Moffitt Cancer Center, the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Meningitis Foundation. For information about the community conversation or the summit, email PITCHNews@outlook.com.

The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. Follow us on Twitter at @HealthFla and on Facebook. Form more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.