Over the weekend, Caroline Suckling, affectionately known as Mama Carol, urged Papua New Guinean families to break the silence surrounding health issues like cervical cancer.
While co-hosting the Mother’s Day Charity Music Festival with Izabell Druma, Mama Carol explained that vaccines for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) are readily available at both private and public hospitals across PNG.
HPV is a common infection spread through sexual contact which can lead to cervical cancer.
She encouraged women to prioritize early screenings and check-ups, noting that these life-saving services are also offered free of charge at hospitals across the country.
The event featured a powerful video testimony from Melissa Kivung, who describes herself as a cancer thriver (not simply a survivor), and stressed the importance of proactive health checks.
“Screening isn’t just a test; it’s a lifeline. Screening is cheaper than treatment costs. Your health is your wealth. Early detection screening saves lives; I’m a living proof,” Kivung shared.
Every year, an average of 1,060 women in PNG are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and between 600 and 650 lose their lives to the disease.
Mama Carol described these figures as unacceptably high, especially since HPV vaccines are free.
She argued that there is no room for shame when it comes to survival.
Speaking in Tok Pisin, she stated, “Noken hait na noken sem lo wokim disla toktok ples klia insait lo haus blo yupla; bikos sapos yumi no toktok, hau bai yumi save lo stretim yumi yet na behainim wokabaut lo sidaun stret bihain?”
She further challenged families to engage with the younger generation.
“Yumi mas actively participate in conversations with our children (whether they are male or female),” she noted.
By fostering open dialogue, families can equip themselves with the knowledge needed for early detection and prevention.
As Mama Carol concluded, “It’s not a time to be ashamed of tumbuna pasin or tumbuna toktok anymore. Yumi abrusim disla mak pinis. There is no shame in doing this. Life is too important.”
