Australia is on track to eliminate cervical cancer within the next decade, according to health officials. The country is racing other nations to become the first in the world to eliminate a form of cancer.
Background
Cervical cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Australia began a national HPV vaccination program for children in 2007, which has significantly reduced infection rates. The country is now close to achieving elimination, defined as fewer than four cases per 100,000 women per year.
The article highlights the story of Chrissy Walters, a woman diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer after a years-long struggle to conceive. She has undergone treatment for over a decade and has been told her diagnosis is terminal. Her daughter, now 12, has grown up with the disease present in her life.
In 2026, the daughter will reach the age when Australia begins vaccinating children against HPV.