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Global Initiative Against HPV and Cervical Cancer

Michele Baldwin (Lady Ganga)- GIAHC STORY

It was a hot summer morning in August 2011 when the phone rang. On the other side was Ruth Frazier, mother of Michele Baldwin. Ruth contacted me for a single reason. Her daughter, Michele was suffering from terminal cervical cancer—the cancer had returned for the third time and doctors had given her 3-6 months to live. Rather than having a pity party, Michele wanted to check off yet another daring adventure from her bucket list—a month-long voyage paddle boarding down the Ganges river, her final act an original synthesis of faith, athletic challenge and a platform to raise awareness about cervical cancer, a cancer that is preventable, treatable and if caught early enough, curable.

Michele did not want other women to go through what she was experiencing. She chose India to start her legacy. She had visited this country as a teenager and had fallen in love with its sights and sounds. The needs and the opportunity to help stuck in her mind. Her resolve was further strengthened after reading my book, The HPV vaccine Controversy: Sex, Cancer, God and Politics (Praeger 2008) and learning that India had the highest number of cervical cancer cases in the world (it carries 25% of the world’s burden of this disease, with a young woman dying every 7-8 minutes from it), Michele decided to take a paddleboard expedition named ‘Starry Ganga’ down the Ganges river to fulfill her wish and support our organization’s mission: “Saving lives from cervical cancer, one woman at a time, one day at a time.”

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A few days later, Michele and I spoke over the telephone for the first time. Her expedition was to commence in Rishikesh, at the base of the Himalayas and end up in the holy city of Varanasi. We further discussed the details of her journey and her desire to set up the Michele Baldwin Living Memorial Fund (MBLMF) in order to help GIAHC carry out its mission. However, in the middle of our conversation, she interrupted me and said, “Sorry, Dr. Krishnan, I have to hang up. It’s time for me to read a bedtime story to my daughter and put her to sleep.” We decided to meet the following week in Chicago to continue our discussion.
At Chicago O’Hare airport. Michele arrived with her mother Ruth, a few minutes before me and was waiting at the bottom of the escalator. She looked radiant, strong and determined to take this journey. Soon after, we were whisked away to the Chicago Public Radio station where we were interviewed on NPR as a part of the Global Activism series. While the two of us had only met for a total of less than half hour, we found ourselves completing each other’s sentences at the interview-such was our connection.
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The Starry Ganga expedition, what would become an epic journey, ensued a couple weeks later. Michele was welcomed everywhere she went. People were in awe with her strength, willpower and intensity of purpose to overcome adversity. Her mother and their family friend rented a van and followed her on land while having an adventurous journey of their own! Michele sustained herself mostly on peanut butter and chapatis (flat bread) that her mother Ruth and their friend Judy, would bring for her every few days from a local store. She camped for the night on the sand bars of the Ganga river so as to keep away from poisonous snakes that resided close by the riverbanks. “It was amazing, falling to sleep to the sound of the jackals and far-off ashrams playing holy music,” she explained.
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Michele and I met again in Agra, the home of the world-famous Taj Mahal. I could not help marvel at her strong sense of lively spirit, gritty determination and a focus that was both inspirational and aspirational. What a magnificent coincidence that she would paddle-board past the age-old monument and legacy of the Taj Mahal while giving birth to her own legacy of becoming Lady Ganga who would inspire the world to put an end to cervical cancer! This would be the last time that we would meet.
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Michele concluded her successful journey in Varanasi and returned to New Mexico just before Thanksgiving. She passed away a few weeks later leaving behind a courage that was staggering, determination that was humbling and a focus that was awe-inspiring. Her journey would later be made into the “Lady Ganga” short film that many have watched today.
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NPR interview
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Film screening UN, New York
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With Michele’s mother Ruth at AMWA
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U of New Mexico
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At MWIA

Lady Ganga Trailblazer Award

In honor of Michele’s selfless sacrifice to help other women, and to keep her pioneering spirit alive, GIAHC has launched the Lady Ganga Trailblazer Award.

The award is presented in memory of Michele Baldwin (Lady Ganga), a pioneering spirit who paddle-boarded 700 miles of the Ganges river in India with terminal cervical cancer to raise awareness about this disease.

The award celebrates those who have demonstrated exceptional creativity in proposing and executing impactful grass roots approaches to raising awareness about HPV and HPV-related diseases, HPV vaccines, cervical cancer screening and early treatment. Their contributions may be artistic, academic, social, cultural, economic, technical or media related.

Upon consultation with select international collaborators and partner organizations, GIAHC invites a few individuals to apply for the award. 

Miriam-Cremer-MD-MPH
Miriam Cremer, MD, MPH

Miriam Cremer, MD, MPH, President and Founder Basic Health International (BHI), was the recipient of the 2019 award. Miriam has provided outstanding guidance and leadership to the organization and has solidified BHI as a leading voice in the fight to eradicate cervical cancer. Click here for more details.

IPV Conference
Dr. Silvia San Jose, President, IPVS

The 2018 Lady Ganga Trailblazer Award was presented in honor of Michele Baldwin (Lady Ganga) by Dr. Krishnan at the 32nd International Papillomavirus Society conference in Sydney on Friday, October 5, 2018. The award was shared between Drs. Silvia San Jose, President, IPVS and Joel Palefsky, Chair, HPV Working Group, IPVS. They demonstrated exceptional creativity in proposing and executing impactful grassroots approaches to raising awareness about HPV and HPV-related diseases by launching the very first International HPV Awareness day on March 4, 2018. Click here to see more.

IPV Conference
Dr. Joel Palefsky, Chair, HPV Working Group, IPVS

The 2018 Lady Ganga Trailblazer Award was presented in honor of Michele Baldwin (Lady Ganga) by Dr. Krishnan at the 32nd International Papillomavirus Society conference in Sydney on Friday, October 5, 2018. The award was shared between Drs. Silvia San Jose, President, IPVS and Joel Palefsky, Chair, HPV Working Group, IPVS. They demonstrated exceptional creativity in proposing and executing impactful grassroots approaches to raising awareness about HPV and HPV-related diseases by launching the very first International HPV Awareness day on March 4, 2018. Click here to see more.

Michele Baldwin Living Memorial Fund (MBLMF)

This fund was established by Michele prior to her embarking on the Starry Ganga expedition. The proceeds from this fund will be used to raise awareness and reduce the burden from cervical cancer worldwide.
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