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The mission of the ISIS Project is to educate and empower Black women about the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer. Our vision is to create optimal health and wellness throughout the life cycle of Black women, taking into account the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual components of our lives.
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Press
For Immediate Release:
The Balm In Gilead Launches The ISIS Project Detroit, MI – Friday, May 20, 2005. Today, The Balm In Gilead, Inc. kicked off a nationwide series of educational forums for the ISIS Project, a national health initiative to increase public awareness about cervical cancer and the human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes cervical cancer at Saint Paul AME Zion Church, located at 11359 Dexter Avenue in Detroit at 8:30am. The mission of the ISIS Project is to educate and empower Black women about cervical cancer and HPV, and provide them with information on the need for regular screening to ensure early diagnosis and treatment. The Balm In Gilead believes that informing women about cervical cancer is the necessary first step in reversing the escalation of this deadly illness among Black women. In addition, The Balm In Gilead has also formed a historic partnership with the women’s missionary societies of three historical Black church denominations: the African Methodist Episcopal Church, National Women Missionary Society; the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Women's Home and Overseas Missionary Society; and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Women's Missionary Council. Each is establishing a national health office that will support this initiative as well as educate women on a multitude of health issues. The ISIS Project (Intimate Session for Informed Sexuality) is aptly named. Isis was revered by the ancient Egyptians as the goddess of medicine and wisdom who lived among the people. The Balm In Gilead is conducting a series of educational forums in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago and Philadelphia. The forums will be presented by Dr. Lucille C. Norville Perez, National Health Director of the NAACP; Reverend Dr. Susan Newman, hailed by Ebony magazine as one of the Top Black Women Preachers in America and the author of Oh God! A Black Woman's Guide to Sex and Spirituality; and Tamika Felder, Cervical Cancer survivor. The uniqueness of these forums is the coming together of a Black preacher and doctor to have a dialog with Black women about both their spiritual and physical health. “The vision of this initiative is to create optimal health and wellness throughout Black women's entire lives, taking into account the full spectrum of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual issues,” stated Pernessa Seele, Founder/CEO of the Balm In Gilead. For the past 16 years, The Balm In Gilead has been a pioneer in building the capacity of African American faith communities to address HIV/AIDS. Today, marks a new paradigm in our organization”, states Erline Belton, Chair of the Board of Directors. “Utilizing all of our lessons learned over these years of addressing HIV/AIDS within Black communities, The Balm In Gilead is expanding its services to address yet another deadly disease among Black women which is also 100% preventable—cervical cancer”. Cervical cancer is a preventable disease, caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), that is devastating Black women. African American women have significantly higher incidence rates than white women. In addition, African American women are more than twice as likely to die from cervical cancer as white women. Cervical cancer rates have decreased significantly over the last 60 years, due to widespread screening using the Pap smear. However, women are still dying. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 10,300 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer and approximately 3,700 women will die of this deadly disease this year. Through the launch of the ISIS project, The Balm In Gilead is dedicated to educating women about this disease and informing women of the need for regular screening with the most advanced technology available. The Balm In Gilead is a not-for-profit organization with an international
mission to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS by building the capacity of faith communities
to provide education, services and support for people living with and affected
by HIV/AIDS. The Balm In Gilead has earned worldwide recognition as the leading
organization in the United States dedicated to empowering and mobilizing churches
to address the HIV/AIDS in the Black community. Since its founding in 1989,
The Balm In Gilead has helped over 15,000 churches and organizations throughout
the United States, Africa and the Caribbean provide seriously needed health
education and services to their congregations and communities in order to halt
the AIDS pandemic. Support for the ISIS Project is made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from Digene Corporation. For additional information about The Balm In Gilead, visit our website www.balmingilead.org. Call toll free in the United States 1-888-225-6243.
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The Female Soul and Spirit
The mission of the ISIS Project is to educate and empower Black women about cervical cancer and HPV, and provide them with information on the need for regular screening to ensure early diagnosis and treatment.
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