Cervivor Stories

Meet Cervivor’s Newest Patient Advocacy Award Winners

At the recent Cervivor School 2024 – celebrating its 10th year as a one-of-a-kind patient advocate training program – the following five Cervivor community members were honored with patient advocacy awards, recognizing their leadership and commitment to the urgent cause to end cervical cancer.

Read on to hear what they had to say about receiving these unique patient advocacy awards — some of which honor the legacy of Cervivor community members who are no longer with us — and why our Founder and Chief Visionary Tamika Felder believes they are so deserving.

Cervivor Champion Award – Lindsay Gullatte-Lee


Why She Won: “Lindsay checks all the boxes of a Cervivor Champion,” says Tamika about this coveted patient advocacy award. “She’s great at sharing the patient experience, fundraising, and much more. She understands the importance of closing health inequalities and has used her survivorship to help make that happen.”

What She Says: “The reason I do this is so no one else suffers this disease alone. Everyone should have the facts about cervical cancer prevention and it’s important that our voices as patients are heard. I was completely shocked to win! I felt seen, heard, supported, and loved. I’m still healing but forever grateful to the Cervivor community for all its support. I found my people, and I’m just happy to give back a little of everything they’ve given me.”

Brittany Wagner Social Media Advocacy Award – Christy Basa Chambers


Why She Won: “Christy is so deserving of this award because she shows up and shares her vulnerability – the good, the not-so-good, and everything in between,” says Tamika about Christy, whose personal hashtag is #choosinghopedaily. “More importantly, she provides crucial information to encourage people to get screened and vaccinated, and we know that visibility is key to our cause. Christy truly understands what community means and spreads a message of hope across all social media platforms and in person.” 

What She Says: “When I was first diagnosed, I felt very alone. It would have been easy to lose hope, but life with and after Stage 4 cancer is possible! I have made it my mission to foster hope and joy in others who are struggling. If my online content can encourage someone to visit the Cervivor website, get vaccinated, schedule a screening, or learn more about HPV and cervical cancer, then I know I’ve made an impact.”

Erica Frazier Stum Living Life with Cancer Award – Gwendolyn “Gwen” Jackson


Why She Won: “No one is more deserving than Gwen, who is helping others while in the midst of fighting for her life,” says Tamika about this award named after an inspiring late member of the Cervivor community and honors a particularly passionate patient advocate who is thriving despite battling cancer.

What She Says: “This award means so much to me because of Erica Frazier Strum’s legacy,” says Gwen, who was unable to walk up to receive the patient advocacy award due to pain from her treatment, prompting a standing ovation from the Cervivor School attendees. “It inspires me to continue striving for excellence and contributing to the cause in her memory. I believe that individuals never pass if their names are still spoken in rooms. I will make sure her name is spoken in every room I enter.”

Cervivor Spark Award – Tiera Wade


Why She Won: “Tiera has shown incredible dedication and passion toward Cervivor’s mission to end cervical cancer,” affirms Tamika about this motivated and motivational patient advocate “Her commitment shines through in everything she does: from volunteering her time to support our organization, to enthusiastically sharing vital information about cervical cancer within her community.”

What She Says: “To know that cervical cancer is preventable with proper screening drives me to empower others to prioritize their health – because they are worth it. This award was the God-sent confirmation that there is still work to do,” says Tiera of the honor. “My spark was reignited!”

Cervivor Rising Star Award – Claudia Pérez-Favela


Why She Won: “Claudia is all in, and she’s already doing incredible work – not only within the Hispanic community but also in the broader effort to end cervical cancer,” says Tamika. “If this is what she’s achieving right out of the gate, I can’t wait to see what she does next.”

What She Says: “The stigma surrounding gynecological cancers in the Latinx community drives my advocacy. It’s crucial because cervical cancer and HPV are preventable, and treatment is much more effective when caught early.”

Thank you to these dedicated advocates for amplifying the patient voice in everything they do, inspiring hope, resilience, and action in our collective mission to end cervical cancer. They embody the spirit of the Cervivor community and demonstrate the importance and power of sharing the stories of those affected by this disease.

Join the Movement

If you’re inspired by these patient advocate award winners work, consider becoming an advocate yourself. Here are ways to get involved:

  • Share Your Story: On the Cervivor website, write a blog post, or post on social media about your experience with cervical cancer and tag Cervivor!
  • Volunteer: Help organize events, participate in awareness campaigns, or support local initiatives.
  • Fundraise: Support our non-profit’s mission of empowerment, education, advocacy, and support.
  • Join the conversation on social media using #Cervivor and #EndCervicalCancer.

Together, we can create a future where cervical cancer is no longer a threat, and every patient has access to the care and support they deserve. Thank you again to Lindsay, Christy, Gwen, Tiera, and Claudia for shining bright as pillars of strength in the mission to end cervical cancer.

Why the Patient Voice is Essential to the President’s New Global Commitment to End Cervical Cancer

By Tamika Felder, Founder and Chief Visionary, Cervivor, Inc.

In case you missed the big news, President Biden hosted leaders from Australia, Japan, and India at his Delaware home this past weekend for the latest Quad Summit. Why is this big news? The gathering of these four key countries, one of several since 2020, marks a milestone in the fight to end cervical cancer worldwide.

As reported, the Summit launched the Quad Cancer Moonshot Initiative, aiming to significantly reduce cervical cancer rates in the Indo-Pacific region, which includes South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Oceania, and accounts for one-quarter of global cervical cancer cases. Alongside the U.S., the other Quad countries are making huge commitments to medical equipment, HPV testing, and vaccines.

We can all learn a lot from Australia, which is setting the pace globally. The country is on track to become the first to eliminate cervical cancer, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having fewer than four cases per 100,000 people. The WHO has also set a global deadline of 2030 to get rid of this disease for good. Other countries are closing in on the target including Sweden, Portugal, and Rwanda.

But here’s the thing: While these international efforts can be game-changers, they can’t achieve their goal without one crucial element – the voices of cervical cancer patients and survivors. That’s where Cervivor comes in.

Cervivor’s global community of cervical cancer patient advocates is growing and getting louder every day.

Why Patient Voices Matter

Cervivor has always focused on amplifying the voices of those directly affected by cervical cancer from way back when I founded the organization in 2005 after I survived cervical cancer in my twenties. Sure, I was grateful to be alive – minus my uterus and facing long-lasting health complications – but I was angry. There was an HPV test and there was about to be an FDA-approved vaccine, but no one was talking about how cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable. What happened to me shouldn’t have happened to anyone else, especially the nearly 350,000 women it continues to kill worldwide each year. 

When Dr. Linda Eckert, one of our 2024 Cervivor Champion Award winners and a global expert in cervical cancer prevention, released her book Enough: Because We Can Stop Cervical Cancer this January (during Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, of course), she made sure to include stories from our Cervivor community members. Why? Because our voices are crucial in every initiative aimed at ending this disease. By sharing our lived experiences, we can influence everything from drug trials to legislation to, yes, international collaborations. These authentic, often raw, stories remind the world that cervical cancer isn’t just a statistic – it impacts real women and families.

In this video, cervical cancer expert Dr. Linda Eckert shares why she wrote Enough and how inspired she was by the dozens of survivors whose stories it features, including members of our Cervivor community.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared a similar sentiment with the announcement of the Quad initiative, calling attention to the women in the Pacific who die of the disease at up to 13 times the rate of women in Australia. “These people are not numbers,” he said. “They are our neighbors, members of our Pacific family, and we’re stepping forward to help.” 

Cervivor: Leading the Charge

From our annual Cervivor School, which empowers survivors to become advocates, to our upcoming Cervical Cancer Summit (sign up for updates!), Cervivor is at the forefront of the fight against cervical cancer. We partner with healthcare providers and organizations to improve access to care and lead awareness campaigns like #Screen4Me. We also advocate for critical legislation, such as the PREVENT HPV Cancers Act of 2021 and its expansion in 2023. Our efforts extend to high-level forums, where we drive discussions to ensure cervical cancer prevention and care remain a priority.

Like President Biden’s reported belief in a “latticework approach” to diplomacy, Cervivor fosters collaboration. By working with healthcare professionals, researchers, and other advocacy groups, we create a united front against cervical cancer. Our community members serve on guideline panels, advisory boards, and in research studies. This year, I was honored to be appointed to the National Cancer Advisory Board by President Biden, a role that allows me to continue championing the voice of survivors at the highest levels. Their perspectives are essential to shaping policies, informing research, and pushing for a future where cervical cancer is no longer a threat.

Cervivor Founder Tamika Felder moderates the 2024 Cervical Cancer Forum at the White House as part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot Initiative.
That’s me on the left moderating the 2024 Cervical Cancer Forum at the White House as part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot Initiative.

When I had the privilege of moderating the Cervical Cancer Forum at the White House earlier this year, I called it a historic moment – researchers, policymakers, community workers, healthcare providers, patients, and survivors came together with national leaders to elevate the patient voice. With the latest Quad Cancer Moonshot Initiative, it’s even more crucial that we raise awareness globally.

Now is the Time to Join Us

Never before has cervical cancer been so at the forefront of the world stage. Now is the time for all of us to unite in the fight to eliminate it. Together, we can do this – it is not just possible; it’s necessary. Too many lives are being lost to cervical cancer worldwide. This is a human issue that affects us all.

This graphic of people we have lost in our Cervivor community represents only a fraction of the women still dying from this preventable disease.

Cervivor serves as a megaphone for the patient and survivor voice, but we need your help to amplify the message that this cancer can be prevented if we use the medical knowledge and tools at our disposal. We have to reach that mom or sister who hasn’t gotten screened lately because she’s “too busy” but is noticing “weird” symptoms down there. We have to let parents know that their kids may never have to go through cervical cancer treatment (which isn’t pretty, I can tell you) if they get vaccinated now. For that matter, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) announced in May that the HPV vaccine has been linked to a decrease in HPV-related head and neck cancer in men, and that people who are vaccinated are less likely to require certain surgical cancer treatments. Truly, getting your kids vaccinated is giving them the gift of a healthier future. 

This screenshot of a Facebook post shows global cancer advocate Tamika Felder addressing a group at the White House for a Biden Cancer Moonshot event on October 24, 2024, where First Lady Dr. Jill Biden tagged and personally thanked her.
While I don’t do what I do for recognition, getting a thank-you on Facebook from First Lady Dr. Jill Biden a couple of years ago was pretty gratifying.

As distinguished professor Dr. Noel Brewer of the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health – an HPV expert and trusted ally in our mission – has emphasized, “In reality, data and statistics may only hold sway on the pages of medical journals. What truly matters are the people and their lived experiences. Sharing powerful stories cuts through the noise and connects us to what is vital.” He likens explaining data without the patient experience to “walking into a firefight armed only with a calculator.”

At Cervivor, we are armed with hundreds of powerful stories – too many stories, to be honest. I implore you to join our fight to end this disease now, not later. Who’s with me?

Tamika Felder is a cervical cancer survivor and the Founder and Chief Visionary of Cervivor, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to cervical cancer awareness and prevention through its global community of patient advocates. Driven to eradicate cervical cancer within her lifetime, she is a leading voice in healthcare, HPV education, and cancer prevention.

Tamika has shared her story at Presidential Panels, trained thousands of patient advocates, and serves on the steering committees of the National Cervical Cancer Roundtable and the National HPV Vaccination Roundtable. Recently appointed by President Biden, she is now a member of the National Cancer Advisory Board. Tamika’s impactful storytelling has also been featured on Bravo’s Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and in the documentaries Someone You Love: The HPV Epidemic and Conquering Cervical Cancer.