Former LDS Area Seventy Jon Huntsman Sr., founder of the Huntsman Cancer Institute, passed away today. In his honor, I would like to share this bit of breakroom gossip from about a decade ago, when I was an employee at the Utah Department of Health.
The Food and Drug Administration had only recently approved the first vaccine protecting against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually-transmitted infection that is the leading cause of cervical cancer. Now that an effective vaccine was available, state lawmaker Karen Morgan sponsored a bill to fund vaccination of women and girls, with fervent support of local health advocates. The bill required a one million dollar appropriation, but in the end, the state legislature only appropriated $25,000, with a big caveat—none of the funds could be spent on vaccines. Instead, lawmakers wanted to direct the funds toward educating women about “abstinence before and fidelity after marriage being the surest prevention of sexually transmitted diseases including the human papillomavirus.”
About a month after the legislative session ended, I was eating lunch in the Health Department’s cafeteria when a coworker came running in, absolutely beaming.
“You will not believe what just happened,” she exclaimed. She had just finished a meeting about the new appropriation. Several stakeholders were there, including lawmakers and Jon Huntsman, Sr., representing the Huntsman Cancer Institute. As she described it, some of the people in attendance kept raising questions along the lines of, if you vaccinated girls against sexually transmitted diseases, what would stop them from having sex? Some even suggested that cervical cancer was an appropriate punishment for promiscuity.
Seemingly on impulse, Huntsman pulled out his weapon—a checkbook—and slammed it on the table. Moments later, he passed a check with lots of zeroes on it to my friend and said, “This is for vaccine.”
The next day, the Utah Department of Health announced that Jon and Karen Huntsman had donated $1 million to the Department for cervical cancer prevention, including HPV vaccination, thus paying out of their own pockets the full sum that had originally been requested of the Utah Legislature.
I have chills after reading this! What beautiful story. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing this! The most heartbreaking cancers to me are those caused by hpv decades after a sexual assault. Too often a death sentence from an hpv cancer is the result of someone else’s violent choices. Mr. Huntsman was bold and merciful in his generosity and wise to fight hpv cancer without engaging in arrogant judgements of our human family or reckless speculation about who might deserve death by hpv cancer.
I love this story!
I have never been able to say enough good about Jon Huntsman Sr., a great man who’ll be sorely missed.
His moral and ethical courage in going up against domestic terrorists who seek to be moral judges of girls and women — and putting those Utarded extremists in their place — shows the true character of the man.
The benefits of any vaccine generally far outweigh any passing side effect, which are almost ALWAYS short-term, and Brother Huntsman will forever be remembered as a visionary man who — like the Savior — saw people by the same standard I have taught and practiced my entire adult life…by the totality of their life and by no other ACCEPTABLE standard.
Rest In Peace, Jon Huntsman Sr. You lived a great life; you fought the good fight, you have no doubt earned your eternal reward. My heartfelt condolences to your family at this time.
Thank you for sharing; what an inspiring story of true Christlike charity!
Maybe he should of had the vaccine then he might of lived…putting kids at risk my putting toxic poisons into them doesn’t make him a hero. I’m disgusted at him for thinking vaccines are safe. The HPV has not been tested and causes death and disabilities. I’m mad and glad he can t do any more damage. Arrrrr
As a public health professional, I encourage people to get accurate data about vaccines from reputable sources, not through anonymous comments on the Internet like this one. Here is a good place to start: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaccines/hpv/hpv-safety-faqs.html
By the way, this comment demonstrates a lack of knowledge not only about the medical issues in question, but about the philanthropist Jon Huntsman, who died of old age several years after his successful battle with cancer.
Thank you so much, April, for calling out medically ignorant comments from those of the uninformed Jenny McCarthy set.
Those who fail to do their due diligence reap the results of their own ignorance!!
So the young lad who just died from this vaccine because he was paralyzed from it never happened then. April you are delusional if you believe vaccines are safe. My work consists of vaccine damaged people. I have 2 vaccine damaged kids. So I know what I’m talking about. Read the inserts of vaccines and they tell you a different story to what any Dr tells you.
Please, I beg of you…RESEARCH THIS VACINNE before giving it to your children. The HPV vacinne has horibble side effects…even death.
There is a link to research this vaccine in the comment right above.
Ha ha yes the CDC research what a bunch of liars. You lot are so gullible. Did you know nearly all vaccines have aborted fetus tissue in them? DNA from humans, pig, monkey and cow. Formaldehyde, aluminum, anti freeze amongst the ingredients. The CDC thinks this is ok. Read the inserts and get educated.
Two words: DUE DILIGENCE. As parents — especially with the sacred trust of children — due diligence is the SINGLE largest part of our divine responsibility in caring for our minor children during the time they’re on loan to us.