Thai Actress Raises HPV Awareness, Shares Personal Battle

More than 20 years have passed since the world gained access to HPV vaccines, yet the widespread misconception that "no symptoms equals no disease" remains a major obstacle preventing many Thais from seeking protection. The result is stark: one Thai woman dies from cervical cancer every two hours.

Although HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is now a familiar term to many Thais, many still mistakenly believe it affects only women or assume they face no risk if they have no symptoms. In truth, HPV is a common virus that affects all genders and can remain dormant in the body for 15–20 years without causing any signs before leading to multiple types of cancer in the future.

To spread accurate information, Saowapha Station of the Thai Red Cross Society partnered with Bangkok to launch the campaign "HPV Is Not Okay," which included a fitness awareness event titled "Dance for Fitness: Stop Thinking HPV Is Okay" held on August 5 at Lumpini Park's aerobics plaza. The initiative aims to help Thais move from misunderstanding to awareness and prevention. One of the event's highlights was actress Amy Glinnachum's candid sharing of her personal experience confronting HPV.

**Amy Glinnachum's Seven-Year Journey**

Amy revealed that she was diagnosed with HPV infection and stage 2 abnormal cervical cells at just 25 years old—dangerously close to stage 3, which carries a high cervical cancer risk.

"When I went for my checkup, I had no symptoms at all. I was accompanying my sister, and when the doctor called back to say I had stage 2 abnormal cells and HPV, I panicked because I had no knowledge about it at all," Amy recalled.

Over the following seven years, Amy underwent continuous medical monitoring. With each doctor's appointment, anxiety returned. Eventually, she decided to undergo surgery to remove the abnormal tissue based on her doctor's recommendation to prevent the disease from progressing.

Although her treatment ultimately went well and she received an HPV vaccine as advised, the experience made her realize that appearing healthy on the outside may not be enough. Early detection and prevention are key. She chose to speak publicly and urge Thais to "stop feeling ashamed and stay silent," since HPV can affect anyone and should not be a source of embarrassment that causes us to neglect our health.

"I want everyone to not overlook their own health. It's not okay to think HPV is okay. I want everyone to get screened, even if they've only had intercourse once, have only one partner, or are currently single—there is still risk. And I want everyone to receive HPV vaccination," Amy said.

**Moving From "Knowing About" to "Truly Knowing and Preventing"**

Prof. Dr. Sutthipong Vachrasindu, Director of Saowapha Station at the Thai Red Cross Society, stated that while many Thais "know about" HPV, they do not "truly understand" it. Misconceptions remain a major barrier to prevention, particularly the false belief that the absence of symptoms means there is nothing to worry about, when in fact the virus may be hiding in the body for a long time without our knowledge.

Despite the world having HPV vaccines for many years, Thailand continues to see more than 8,600 new cases of cervical cancer annually and over 4,500 deaths per year—a stark reminder that HPV remains a silent threat that should not be ignored.

"The Thai Red Cross Society, through Saowapha Station, is an institution that cares about the health and well-being of the Thai people. The best way we can protect people from disease is through 'prevention' by means of screening and vaccination for diseases where we can provide protection," the professor explained.

Based on this philosophy, the campaign "HPV Is Not Okay" was created to build correct understanding and encourage prevention among all Thais.