8 campaigners embark on 52-day journey to spread awareness about cervical cancer

To create awareness about cervical cancer, eight people from four different states have embarked on a 52 days car drive from Tamil Nadu to Saint Petersburg in Russia.

"Every eight-minute, a woman dies in India due to cervical cancer. Through our initiative, we want to inform people that this type of cancer can be prevented through vaccination," Meenakshi Arvind, cervical cancer awareness campaigner, told ANI on Wednesday.

Arvind said that cervical cancer can be prevented by getting vaccinated between the age of 9 to 26 years. She urged the government to make it a part of their free immunisation program.

"There is no awareness about the availability of the vaccine and the detection of symptoms. Most of the other countries have made it part of their immunisation program," she added.

The travellers will venture through Nepal, China, Tibet and reach the Russian port city via one of the longest Trans-Siberian Highway of the country on September 27.