Make August Matter! Join Cervivor’s Tell 20, Give 20 Campaign and Help Save Lives

As summer winds down, August offers a fresh start—and a powerful opportunity to make a lasting impact in the fight against cervical cancer, a preventable disease that still claims far too many lives.

Each year in the U.S., more than 13,000 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer. Despite effective screening and vaccines, the disease disproportionately affects underserved communities and people of color.

For 20 years, Cervivor, Inc., has been at the forefront of ending cervical cancer and ensuring no one has to face it alone. If you’re part of our community, you already know:

  • Support brings hope
  • Awareness saves lives
  • Community changes everything

And right now, Cervivor’s mission is more urgent than ever.

Sponsorships are slowing. Federal funding is shrinking. And access to life-saving care is being stripped away from far too many. Crucial programs like our Cervical Cancer Patient Advocacy Retreat for Communities of Color and the Comfort Care & Compassion Program are at risk without renewed support.

But cervical cancer doesn’t wait—and neither can we.

Participants at the 2024 Cervical Cancer Patient Advocacy Retreat for Communities of Color
Personalized greeting cards sent as part of the Comfort Care & Compassion Program

That’s why we’re reigniting our year-long Tell 20, Give 20 fundraising campaign. You helped us exceed our initial goal of raising $20,000 in March. Now, we need to regain that momentum… and Make August Matter!

How to Make August Matter 

In case you need a quick refresher, Cervivor’s Tell 20, Give 20 campaign is simple, but powerful:

  • Tell 20 people—friends, family, coworkers, even strangers—why you support Cervivor’s life-saving work, and ask them to do the same.
  • Give $20 (or more!) and invite others to join you. Every dollar supports real programs and creates real change.

Launched during Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in January 2025, the campaign has already made a powerful impact thanks to generous donors and enthusiastic participants. So far, Cervivor has:

  • Educated thousands about HPV and cervical cancer prevention and treatment
  • Supported patients, survivors, and thrivers through our programs and services
  • Advocated for policies that promote awareness and prevention

This August, help us take it even further—our goal is to raise an additional $20,000 before year’s end. Download our digital toolkit to get involved: Host a microfundraiser, ask your employer to support our mission, or simply share our life-saving posts online, using the hashtag #Tell20Give20. 

Even small actions make a big difference. 

Key Dates to Support & Share

Cervivor will be sharing content or hosting virtual events on these dates to make it easy for you to spread the word and come together to support the Tell 20, Give 20 campaign.

  • August 1—Campaign kickoff + National Immunization Awareness Month begins
  • August 5 & 19—Below the Belt Conversations on Instagram Live (7 PM EST)
  • August 12—Creating Connections: August MeetUp (register now)
  • August 17—National Nonprofit Day: a perfect time to rally support for Cervivor
  • August 19—National Patient Advocacy Day: Spotlight cervical cancer advocacy and share your story
  • August 20—Tell 20 Day: Let’s go big and amplify Cervivor’s impact!
  • August 28—Celebrate Black Philanthropy Month by championing health equity on Give 8/28
  • Every Thursday—Join us on socials for Tell 20 Thursdays: quick ways to spark conversations and keep the momentum strong

We’re deeply grateful for the support of our community and the allies who stand with us. Together, we’re moving closer to a future free of cervical cancer.

Remember, you have the power to make a difference. You have the power to save lives. So mark your calendar—and let’s Make August Matter! 

In Loving Memory of Caroline Swenson

On July 22, 2025, the Cervivor community lost one of its brightest lights. Caroline Swenson—mother, wife, friend, two-time cancer survivor, and devoted Cervivor Ambassador—passed away unexpectedly, leaving behind a loving family and a legacy that touched countless lives.

Caroline was more than a survivor. She was a connector, a nurturer, and the kind of person who showed up fully—generously, joyfully, and with a radiant smile that made you feel like you’d known her forever. A graduate of Cervivor School Chicago in 2019, she threw her heart into every role: hosting virtual events, leading awareness campaigns, and spearheading initiatives like the Comfort, Care & Compassion Program.

Caroline graduated from Cervivor School 2019 in Chicago.
After completing the advocacy training program, Caroline (in striped shirt) went on to a be a powerful voice for change.

Chairing the tote bag program was one of her proudest contributions. It gave her the chance to offer small but deeply meaningful gifts to those newly diagnosed or undergoing treatment. As she shared on the Cervivor Blog:

“I remember very clearly when I received my cervical cancer diagnosis. I was stunned—and though I was surrounded by family and friends, I still felt alone. This is why I love the Comfort, Care, and Compassion Program Powered by Cervivor. Being able to reach out on behalf of our community in a way that says, ‘Hey, we’re sorry you’re going through this. You’ve got this and we are here to support you,’ fills my cup.”

Caroline was always an amazing supporter of Cervivor, creating and selling care kits to benefit the organization.

Even during the pandemic, Caroline helped keep the Cervivor community connected. She brought warmth and humor to virtual events like the 2021 CCAM Wrap Party, co-hosted with fellow Cervivor leader Kimberly Williams. And in one charming CervivorTV video, she and her devoted husband, Zach, welcomed viewers into their Oregon, WI, kitchen for a DIY charcuterie board tutorial featuring “good, old-fashioned pepperoni … because of the little girls.”

Caroline (center right) served on the 2021 Cervical Cancer Awareness Month Planning Committee and helped Cervivor through the pandemic by hosting many virtual events.

Those two little girls—Leila and Maizie—were Caroline’s greatest joy. And they wouldn’t have been possible if she hadn’t been able to preserve her fertility after her first diagnosis in 2012. Then just 34, Caroline received the news while on her honeymoon. In an episode of Cervivor’s Below the Belt Conversations series, she recounted the experience with her signature blend of honesty and humor:

“I had just gotten married, and my husband and I were doing the whole family planning thing, and I got a crazy call from my primary, saying I needed to have a biopsy done. And we did—on our way to our honeymoon, which was kind of funny, but I figured, we were going to Hawaii, so if I got bad news or good news, like, give me a Mai Tai either way, right?


Caroline went on to share that about six months to a year after having her second child, she began experiencing troubling symptoms. Doctors initially suspected perimenopause and sent her back and forth between her OB and oncology.

“Turns out, it was back,” she says in the video. “So then I had a radical hysterectomy—or the remaining parts of that—and then 35 radiation treatments. And I’ve been clear since. Very lucky.”

Sadly, her life was taken far too soon. She passed away on July 22, 2025, at the age of 45—just 12 days before her 46th birthday.

As tributes continue to pour in on her Facebook page, it’s clear just how many lives Caroline touched. As we grieve the loss of this extraordinary woman, we also rally around her family. To support Zach, Leila, and Maizie, please consider donating to the GoFundMe, co-organized in her honor by Craig Errington and Whittney Dolley.

A photo of Caroline with Zach, Leila, and Maizie appears on the donation page.

On the page, Caroline’s loved ones share fond memories of their home life:

“Her home, lovingly dubbed the Swensonian Institute of Fun Times, was always filled with laughter, music, and the smell of something delicious in the kitchen. More than just a home, it was a sanctuary—where everyone who entered became part of the Swenson story. That’s who Caroline was: a gatherer of people, a creator of joy, and a champion of love.”

Thank you, Caroline, from the Cervivor community—for your generosity, your laughter, and your unwavering commitment to lifting others. Your legacy lives on in every tote bag delivered, every connection sparked, and every life touched by your kindness.

Remembering Caroline Through Her Work