Transformative Advocacy: From Experience to Influence Archives

Annie Grenier Finds Her Voice in the Face of Advanced Cervical Cancer

Diagnosed in 2020 and now managing metastatic disease, Annie reflects on the importance of trusting her intuition, speaking up within the healthcare system, and navigating complex treatment and insurance challenges. She discusses how targeted therapy has extended her life, underscores the need for greater research investment in advanced cervical cancer, and describes how sharing her story publicly transformed personal survival into purpose...

Samantha Gonzales-Russell, Stage 4 Cervical Cancer Survivor Reclaims Personal Freedom and Lights up Las Vegas

Samantha Gonzales-Russell has faced cervical cancer three times. After her second recurrence—stage IV—she temporarily relocated to another state in search of a care team able to perform a life-saving total pelvic exenteration. This complex surgery removes all of the organs in the pelvic cavity, resulting in two ostomies and requiring a long, difficult recovery—both physically and emotionally.In this deeply personal episode, Samantha shares her story. From the frustration of delayed diagnos..

Stage 4 Cervical Cancer Survivor Defies Stigma: Aisha McClellan’s Advocacy Journey

Meet Aisha McClellan, a 7-year survivor of stage 4 cervical cancer. A 32-year-old single mother of three young children, uninsured, and unaware of her risk at the time her symptoms began, the odds were stacked against her. She faced dire challenges: barriers to timely diagnosis and care, perceived shame and stigma associated with cervical cancer, and harrowing statistics that made her prepare for the very real possibility of her own death. And yet, hers is a story of hope.Throughout her transfor..

The Making of a Public Narrative with Fay Peace, Womb Cancer Survivor

Meet Fay Peace, a survivor of stage 3 womb cancer from the UK who successfully petitioned the distributors of a well-known brand of feminine hygiene products to include information about the signs and symptoms of gynecologic cancers directly on their packaging. ..

Defying the stigmas of cervical cancer in Kenya: How Millicent Kagonga became a Symbol of Hope.

Read Video TranscriptThe number one enemy is stigma. Why? Because I almost killed myself and also I’ve seen people killing themselves because of the stigma. The stigma started with me, myself when I’m going through the treatment and mostly with the community.My name is Milicent Kagonga, I live in Kenya in Nairobi City. I was 25 years old when I found out I had stage four cervical cancer. Before I was diagnosed, I suffered for five years with abnormal vaginal bleeding and discharge. I didn’..

Sacrifices and celebrations in caregiving and clinical trials: Frank Gambino discusses how his life changed after his wife Joyce’s ovarian cancer diagnosis.

Read Video TranscriptFrank: After going through this for three and a half, four years, already and I always heard about clinical trials. We had the opportunity to get in one and I figured it’d be time to take advantage of it because we were basically at a standstill.Frank: I’m Frank Gambino, Joyce’s husband, this is my wife Joyce Gambino and we’ve been together for 57 years and we’re ready to take on anything. My wife has low-grade ovarian cancer which is different than a lot of other ..

How a mother’s battle with uterine cancer changed everything: Bar Levy discusses the founding of Habit Shel Bar – Israel’s Women’s Cancer Association.

Read Video TranscriptI was amazed with the results and we discovered that my mother and I were not the only ones who did not know. And out there, there are so many women who still do not know.My name is Bar Levy, I’m from Tel Aviv Israel. I’m the daughter of Sarit Rosenberg Levy, who passed away so young from uterine cancer. But I’m here to tell you my story, and it starts while I was sitting on the hospital’s floor next to my mother’s bed. It was 3:00 a.m. and she was finally asleep. ..