Welcome to Carrie Thonen and Megan Slaughter!

Karen Read and Jessica Bunjer became a part of the practice in June. We were joined in August by two additional excellent clinicians.

Carrie Thonen has been a certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner for 5 years. She received her Master’s from University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. She is a Mammacare Certified Breast Examiner and an ASCCP trained colposcopist. She is very experienced in managing and treating HPV related disease. She grew up in New York and Kentucky and has been in Colorado for 8 years now. Carrie loves spending time with her husband and one-year old daughter. In her free time, she enjoys all Colorado outdoor activities, but especially snowboarding, hiking, and camping.

Megan Slaughter received her Master’s Degree with a focus in Women’s Health from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and has an extensive background in Newborn Intensive Care and OB care.  Megan was born in Virginia, and she has lived in Colorado since 1996.  Megan enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with her husband and daughter.

What Women Should Know about HPV and Cervical Health

Contributed by Carrie Thonen, NP

In most cases cervical cancer can be prevented through early detection and treatment of abnormal cell changes that occur in the cervix years before cervical cancer develops. We now know that these cell changes are caused by human papilloma virus, commonly known as HPV. The traditional test for early detection has been the Pap test. Now a test for HPV is being offered that can be used with the Pap test in women starting at 30 years of age and in women of any age when the Pap test alone has found slightly abnormal cell changes.

What is the Pap Test?

The test involves taking a small sample of cells from the cervix, usually during a routine pelvic exam. The cells are sent to a laboratory where they are prepared and evaluated under a microscope.

What is the HPV test?

The HPV test can find any of the 13 types of HPV that are most commonly found in cervical cancer. The presence of any of these HPV types in a woman for many years can lead to cell changes that may need to be treated so that cervical cancer does not occur. The HPV test is done at the same time as the Pap test by using a small soft brush to collect cervical cells that are sent to the laboratory, or the HPV testing sample may be taken directly from the Pap sample.

What is HPV?

HPV is a virus that is very common. In fact, most men and women are infected with HPV at some time in their lives. There are approximately 100 types of HPV. Some HPV types only infect the genital area and may cause warts, some cause mild changes in cervical cells that do not turn into cancer, and some cause changes that may become cervical cancer if present for many years. The types of HPV that are found in the genital areas are usually passed on during sexual contact (sexually transmitted). HPV types that cause warts on the hands or feet do not cause genital warts or cervical cell changes, nor do genital HPV types generally spread outside the genital area.

How common is HPV?

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus. The likelihood of getting an HPV infection sometime in a person’s life has been estimated to be 75% or more. This means that anyone who has ever had sexual relations has a high chance of being exposed to this virus, but only a small number of women infected with HPV develop cell changes that need to be treated. In almost all cases, the immune system will keep the virus (including the cancer-related HPV types) under control or get rid of it completely. However, if HPV infection does not go away over many years, there is a greater chance of developing cell changes that may lead to cervical cancer. Only very rarely does the presence of HPV lead to cervical cancer.

Welcome to Karen Read and Jessica Bunjer

Karen Read has been a Certified Nurse Practitioner for 10 years. She was born in the Midwest, and has lived in Colorado for over 30 years. She has experience in all aspects of women’s health and also has worked in general primary care and in the field of bariatrics. She likes to garden and stain glass, and loves spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren. Karen is a compassionate, top notch professional who is excited to join the practice.

Jessica Bunjer has had a broad exposure to the many aspects of women’s health care and has a Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Jessica was born in Maryland near Washington DC, and has lived in Colorado for 10 years. She has an 18 month old son, is a Pilates instructor, and is currently training for a mini triathlon (“Try for the Cure”). We are pleased to have her with us!