Celebrating Barbara Schuler and Six Years of Health Impact.
When Barbara Schuler founded VAX 2 STOP CANCER in 2020, she set out to solve a problem that had long been hiding in plain sight: cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) that are largely preventable through vaccination.
Today, six years later, that vision has grown into a statewide movement—one that has equipped healthcare providers, educated families, and strengthened the fight against HPV-related cancers across Alabama.
As Barbara steps into retirement, the organization she built stands as a testament to what one passionate advocate can accomplish when prevention becomes a personal mission.
Barbara’s commitment to HPV prevention is deeply personal. As a survivor of an HPV-related cancer, she understands firsthand the emotional, physical, and financial toll these diseases take on patients and families.
Instead of allowing that experience to define her, Barbara transformed it into purpose.
She founded VAX 2 STOP CANCER with a clear mission: to prevent cancer by expanding the use of the HPV vaccine through education, public awareness, and advocacy.
The vision was equally bold—to eliminate HPV-related cancers in Alabama by empowering parents, healthcare providers, and communities with accurate information and proven prevention strategies.
From the beginning, Barbara believed that the key to prevention was not simply awareness—it was trusted conversations between healthcare providers and families.
According to Barbara, “HPV vaccination became my life’s mission because I know firsthand what this disease can take from a person. I went through the devastating reality of an HPV-related cancer and the horrific treatment that followed—something no one should have to endure when we have the power to prevent it. My goal is to shake the bushes and remind healthcare providers that we already have a vaccine that prevents cancer. Just as importantly, I want families to know that this vaccine exists. We have a tool that can stop multiple cancers before they ever start, and everyone deserves to know about it.”
What began as a small nonprofit quickly developed into a powerful statewide initiative.
Through its provider education program, VAX 2 STOP CANCER works directly with pediatric and family medicine practices to increase HPV vaccination rates. Since launching the program, the organization has trained hundreds of healthcare providers and staff across 42 Alabama counties, helping practices strengthen their vaccine recommendations and improve patient vaccination completion rates.
These trainings equip providers with evidence-based communication strategies—such as the Announcement Approach, a nationally recognized method that helps clinicians confidently recommend the HPV vaccine and address parents’ concerns.
The program also encourages providers to initiate the HPV vaccine as early as age nine, a strategy shown to improve completion rates and ensure stronger long-term protection.
The results have been significant. By working with physicians, nurses, health departments, and federally qualified health centers, VAX 2 STOP CANCER has helped bring cancer prevention directly into exam rooms across the state.
Behind every training session, community presentation, and awareness campaign has been Barbara’s steady leadership and unwavering belief that prevention must come first.
Barbara’s impact has reached far beyond Alabama.
As a respected voice in cancer prevention, she has been invited to speak at conferences, policy forums, and public health meetings about HPV-related cancers and the importance of vaccination.
Her advocacy has helped elevate the conversation around HPV prevention—reminding audiences that the HPV vaccine can prevent six types of cancer, including cervical, oropharyngeal, anal, vulvar, vaginal, and penile cancers.
Through these speaking engagements, Barbara has represented Alabama on the national stage, sharing lessons learned from the state’s provider education programs and encouraging others across the country to strengthen their own prevention efforts.
Her leadership has also extended into national collaborations, including her role on the Emerging Leaders Advisory Board for the National HPV Vaccination Roundtable, where she works alongside public health leaders to advance vaccination strategies nationwide.
In every setting—from conference halls to community meetings—Barbara’s message has remained consistent:
Cancer prevention is possible, and the HPV vaccine is one of the most powerful tools we have to protect the next generation.
According to Lillian Kreppel, co-founder and CEO of the HPV Cancers Alliance, “Every HPV vaccine given in Alabama because of VAX 2 STOP CANCER and Barbara’s amazing efforts, is a life protected and a future preserved.”
Barbara’s work with VAX 2 STOP CANCER is part of a broader career devoted to improving healthcare access, patient education, and public health outcomes.
With a Master of Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Alabama, she has spent more than seventeen years working across healthcare systems, technology companies, and academic institutions. Each of these roles strengthened the skills and relationships that would later help Barbara launch and grow VAX 2 STOP CANCER.
Her career reflects a consistent theme: connecting patients, providers, and information in ways that improve health outcomes.
Like many nonprofit success stories, VAX 2 STOP CANCER has accomplished an extraordinary amount with a small team and a dedicated network of partners.
Through collaborations with public health agencies, medical organizations, cancer prevention programs, and community advocates, the organization has helped amplify a simple but powerful message:
HPV vaccination prevents cancer.
Educational campaigns, provider trainings, social media outreach, and public awareness initiatives have all worked together to reach families across Alabama and encourage on-time vaccination.
Every new clinic trained, every provider equipped with better communication tools, and every parent who chooses to vaccinate their child represents another step toward a future where HPV-related cancers are far less common.
That progress reflects the foundation Barbara built.
While Barbara’s retirement marks the close of an important chapter, the mission she launched continues.
The work of VAX 2 STOP CANCER remains urgent. HPV vaccination rates in Alabama still have room to grow, and the opportunity to prevent thousands of future cancers remains within reach.
The organization will continue training providers, educating families, and advocating for prevention—building on the momentum created over the past six years.
Barbara’s legacy is not only the organization she founded, but the lives that will be protected because of it.
If Barbara’s work has taught us anything, it is that preventing cancer requires a community.
The progress made over the past six years is only the beginning. Thousands of children across Alabama still need access to providers who are equipped to have these conversations, and families still need trusted information to make life-saving decisions.
One of the most impactful ways to advance this work is through a recurring gift.
Monthly support provides the consistent, reliable funding needed to train healthcare providers, expand outreach efforts, and ensure more young people are protected through on-time HPV vaccination. It allows VAX 2 STOP CANCER to plan ahead, reach more communities, and build on the strong foundation Barbara created.
By becoming a recurring donor, you are investing in prevention—not just for today, but for generations to come.
Join us in carrying this mission forward. Commit to a monthly gift and help stop cancer before it starts.
