Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Beyond the Ribbon: Stories of Dual Cervical and Breast Cancer Survivors Uniting the Fight

By Sara Lyle-Ingersoll, Cervivor Communications Director

October’s pink wave for Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) has swept in, and January’s teal and white for Cervical Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM) will be here soon enough—both sharing life-saving knowledge about two unnecessarily deadly diseases. These awareness months, colors, and causes matter. But at Cervivor, we hold to a core truth: Cancer doesn’t care about ribbons, and neither should survivorship. We’ve all heard the gut-punch words, “You have cancer,” faced the fear, and endured the fight.

Rather than keeping awareness siloed, let’s use this moment to embrace solidarity—especially among women affected by breast, cervical, and other gynecologic cancers. Cervivor recently wrapped up Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month (GCAM), packed with programming to highlight our shared stories and strengthen the collective community.

This unity is practical, too. Early detection and equitable care save lives. Learn the key facts about breast, cervical, and other gynecologic cancers, and be inspired by dual survivor stories that bring the statistics to life.

Breast and Below-the-Belt Cancers in 2025: Key Facts and the Importance of Screening Programs

  • Breast cancer is the most common cancer among U.S. women, with about 316,950 new invasive cases in women and 2,800 in men expected in 2025, plus about 59,080 DCIS cases. Roughly 1 in 8 women (13.1 percent) face a lifetime diagnosis, and 1 in 43 (2.3 percent) a risk of death. Tragically, about 42,170 women and 510 men are expected to die this year.

  • Cervical cancer, though less common and preventable through HPV vaccination and regular screening, remains devastating. About 13,360 new invasive cases and 4,320 deaths are projected in 2025, with an incidence of 7.7 per 100,000 women and a mortality of 2.2 per 100,000. Underserved communities are hit hardest due to access barriers.

  • Other gynecologic cancers—including ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar cancers—add over 110,000 new cases annually. Across all these diagnoses, early intervention is key.

To address these disparities, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) has been providing free or low-cost mammograms and Pap tests to underserved women across all 50 states, D.C., and U.S. territories since 1991. The program has helped detect thousands of cases early, contributing to a 43 percent drop in breast cancer mortality since 1989 and a 75 percent decline in cervical cancer rates since Pap tests became widespread.

Despite these successes, challenges like rural access gaps, cultural stigma, and other barriers remain—making programs like NBCCEDP even more vital for ensuring equity in cancer prevention and care. As funding debates continue, now is the time to urge policymakers to prioritize consistent support for these lifesaving screening programs. Contact your state and federal representatives today.

Voices in the Fight: Stories of Shared Dual Breast and Cervical Cancer Survivorship

Below are three voices from the Cervivor community—all dual cervical and breast cancer survivors—who embody solidarity across ribbon lines:

Kadiana Vegee
Karen North
Laura Lemons

Kadiana Vegee
“My journey has shaped me, but it hasn’t broken me,” shares Cervivor Ambassador Kadiana Vegee, who has spoken candidly on CervivorTV. Diagnosed with stage III cervical cancer and later testing positive for the BRCA1 mutation, she underwent a preventative double mastectomy. Her story bridges cervical and breast cancer advocacy, and she continues to champion screening, HPV awareness, and genetic testing—especially in underserved communities.

Karen North
A nurse by training and a long-time Cervivor Ambassador and Cervivor Pride leader, Karen was first diagnosed with breast cancer, then 18 months later received a cervical cancer diagnosis. Her lived intersection fuels her advocacy: She often shares both journeys in Cervivor forums, events, and blog posts.

Laura Lemons
Laura, a 2019 Cervivor School graduate, speaks powerfully about stigma and interconnected cancer awareness. Her voice is one of resilience across the divisions of “above-belt” and “below-belt” cancers, sharing, “We cannot stop talking about breast and cervical cancer… We are the warriors, the survivors, and the thrivers.”

Together, the words and experiences of these Cervivor community members—and their powerful dual cancer survivor stories—highlight the common thread that unites us.

Support the Solidarity: Double Your Impact Today

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let’s blur those ribbon lines. If you’re moved to donate to breast cancer causes, we ask you to match it with a gift to Cervivor—helping us eliminate cervical cancer through education, advocacy, and community. 

Your support powers prevention and early detection education, amplifies survivor stories like those shared here, and stands in solidarity with every cancer patient—past, present, and future. Donate now and be the link in our chain of solidarity. Because no ribbon should stand alone.

About the Author

SARA LYLE-INGERSOLL is a seasoned content and communications expert dedicated to transforming lived experiences into impactful stories. Her award-winning magazine feature about a close friend who passed from cervical cancer in their twenties led her to connect with Cervivor’s founder, Tamika Felder, and solidified her commitment to cervical cancer awareness and prevention. Now, as Cervivor’s Communications Director, Sara brings this mission full circle. Her previous roles include Editor-in-Chief of The Finder in Singapore, Deputy Editor at Woman’s Day, Lifestyle Director at Good Housekeeping, and Senior Editor at Jane Magazine. Based in Denver, she is a boy mom of a blended family and enjoys good food, travel, and all the sunsets.

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!