Angie, Coon Rapids, MN
My name is Angie. My cervivor story started 14 and 1/2 years ago. I was 31 years old when I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. It started in June. I experienced some abnormal symptoms when I had my period that month. I knew something was wrong. I underwent a few procedures to figure out if It was cancer and how far did it spread.
I was told I had cancer. As I was walking out of Walmart with my husband and kids. The nurse called me 2 days after my LEEP procedure. She explained to me that the doctor wanted to see me on Monday. I asked her if she could tell me my results. She stated that she couldn’t. I explained to her what the doctor told me and that I have anxiety and couldn’t wait the weekend. I begged and pleaded for her to tell me. She then told me I had cancer. I stopped in my tracks. Trying not to let my family know what I was just told. My kids were 7 and 11 years old. This was not something you say as you’re walking out of Walmart.
The radical hysterectomy took my cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and every lymph node in my abdomen. The surgery didn’t go well. I was in a drug-induced come for 3 days. My husband was told every single day that I wasn’t going to make it.
After the radical hysterectomy, I found out that cancer spread into my lymph nodes. I had to undergo chemo and radiation. This was a very painful experience. Only people who have undergone chemo and radiation know the pain, the anguish, the complications that are caused when toxic chemicals are attacking every aspect of your body.
A few years later the HPV vaccine was available. I brought both my kids to the doctor and told him that they both were getting it. At that time the HPV vaccine wasn’t approved for boys. I fought my insurance for 3 months. My son was finally allowed to get the vaccine.
Everyone is looking for a cure for cancer. The HPV vaccine is preventive for cancer. The HPV vaccine is available for anyone under the age of 46. However, the best time to get the vaccine is when you are a pre-teen. This way, if you do contract HPV, your body already knows how to fight it. It is our duty as parents to protect our kids. Why wouldn’t you protect them from cancer?
Andrea, Minneapolis, MN
I’m Andrea. I’m 37 years old, and was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma In Situ (Stage 0) Cervical Cancer at age 33 in 2018. I didn’t have any symptoms aside from high-risk HPV results at my annual pap smear. My doctor was concerned that the HPV results had escalated over the course of one year, so she escalated things to a colposcopy, then a LEEP surgery to remove those problematic cells. This was painful and traumatic. Afterward, I received a call from the gynecologist to inform me that they’d found cancer, just on the verge of becoming invasive in my cervix.
From there, I saw an oncologist. She recommended that I undergo a hysterectomy within 1 year. My husband and I had been married for 2 years and were suddenly on the fast track to try to become pregnant. We tried for 6 months. We decided that wondering if the cancer was spreading inside me as time passed by was just too much to bear. It was a heartbreaking period in our lives. We are now pursuing domestic infant adoption.
I had my hysterectomy in March 2019. My cervix, uterus and fallopian tubes were removed. We waited about 4 days for results from the tissue that was removed from my body. We were relieved to find out that the cells had not spread and I did not need chemotherapy or radiation.
The entire experience was traumatic and changed my life forever. It’s something I live with each day and it touched every aspect of my life. Cancer changes everything.
My eyes were opened to the importance of the HPV vaccine for preteen boys and girls. I really recommend vaccinating children and if you’re an adult, you can now get the vaccine up to age 46 to help your body build immunity against HPV so that it has more ability to clear it, even if you already have it. Vaccines are our frontline defense against cervical cancer - so please talk to your doctor about it. It can and will save lives.