The hashtag “whew” says it all.
City Council speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito tweeted Friday that there is “no cause for concern” after she had further tests after being diagnosed with HPV.
“Just got off the phone w/my #GYN who gave me results. Have low grad dysplasia but no cause for concern & no other action needed #hpv #whew” Mark-Viverito tweeted Friday.
Dysplasia is not cancer, although it can lead to cervical cancer if not treated, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Mark-Viverito then tweeted that her doctor “made it explicity clear, though, that I need to visit within & no later than 1yr from next visit. Women, make your appts! #gettested.”
The normally-private Mark-Viverito announced she had HPV earlier this week to promote awareness of the sexually-transmitted disease as well as the importance of regular gynecological appointments for women. If not treated, HPV can lead to cervical cancer. It is the most commont STD in the U.S.–in fact, most sexually active men and women in this country will have it at some point if they are not vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control. There is no treatment for the virus, but there are treatments for the diseases it can lead to.
