Cervivor Stories

September is National Hispanic Heritage Month

As we progress through one important awareness month, we intersect with another: National Hispanic Heritage Month.

During this time, we are honored to embrace the vibrant colors, rich traditions, and contributions of the Hispanic community. Cervivor stands in solidarity with our Hispanic and Latinx members in raising awareness about cervical cancer within this population.

National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15th to October 15th, provides us with an opportunity to not only celebrate the incredible cultural diversity and history of Latinx individuals but also to shed light on important health disparities that affect this community.

Let’s Talk About It

Cervical cancer is a highly preventable and treatable disease, yet it disproportionately affects Latinas in the United States. Here are some key statistics that highlight this issue:

  1. Higher Incidence: Latinas have a higher incidence rate of cervical cancer compared to non-Hispanic white women. This means they are more likely to develop cervical cancer.
  2. Lower Screening Rates: Latinas are less likely to undergo regular cervical cancer screenings, such as Pap tests and HPV tests, which can detect cervical cancer and the human papillomavirus at an early and treatable stage.
  3. Increased Mortality: Latinas face a higher mortality rate from cervical cancer, primarily due to late-stage diagnosis.

These statistics underscore the importance of raising awareness and promoting regular cervical cancer screenings within the Latinx community. Regular screenings are crucial for early detection and intervention, which can save lives.

Get Involved

At Cervivor, we are committed to supporting all individuals affected by cervical cancer, including those within the Latinx community. We offer a safe and inclusive space where you can find resources, share your stories, and connect with others who understand your journey.

Here are a few ways you can get involved during National Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond:

  1. Are you a cervical cancer patient, survivor, or thriver? Share your Cervivor story. Your story has the power to create change.
  2. Support and empower others to schedule their cervical cancer screenings.
  3. Knowledge is power. Check out all the amazing educational resources on our website and content across our social media platforms. Share it with your networks to help spread awareness.
  4. Stay connected with Cervivor to learn more ways to advocate and ultimately, end cervical cancer.

As we celebrate the vibrant and diverse Latinx culture during National Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s also take a moment to remember the importance of health and well-being by empowering our health below the belt. Regular cervical cancer screenings can save lives, and Cervivor is here to provide support and resources to help anyone on their journey.

Cervivor thanks you for being a part of the community, and together, we’ll make a difference in the cervical cancer disparity gap among Latinas.

National Patient Advocacy Day Recap

Last week presented to be a busy week for patient advocacy. Wednesday was recognized as National Nonprofit Day where Cervivor was chosen as a nonprofit partner of choice through the Kendra Gives Back program through Kendra Scott. The Tampa store location hosted Avi Grant-Noonan, a cervical cancer survivor and patient advocate. Together, we fundraised around $250 for Cervivor in honor of the national awareness day. Avi states, “It was amazing! We had such a great time.”

And this past Saturday was recognized as National Patient Advocacy Day. Our Cervivor community was in action painting coast-to-coast teal and white. The event blended a collaborative approach to cervical cancer patient advocacy including patients, survivors, medical professionals, and industry partners. This day was meaningful for the Cervivor community as it allowed for them to discuss patient advocacy and its importance, along with understanding the impact of sharing their stories in their communities. Attendees were encouraged to spark the conversation surrounding cervical cancer and create change in their local communities.

Community members from Cervivor Caribbean and Cervivor Africa tuned in via the virtual meet-up. This brought about awareness of disparities that members face even in the global community. This open discussion of disparities helped attendees work together to encourage, develop, and plan in adding to our mission to eliminate cervical cancer. Cervivors and industry partners left this event (in-person and virtual) with a reminder that no one fights alone. 

Phyllis Adams (NY Event Attendee): “What a great event meeting with other Cervivors and sharing our unique stories!!! It was a pleasure meeting you in person and allowing me to share my story! Awesome day!”

Anna Ogo (WA Event Co-Host): “We had a blast We covered so many important topics – scanxiety, mental health, dilators, support for caregivers, cervical cancer screening guidelines, HPV, stigma, vaccination, education, ADVOCACY, and the list goes on…”

Sara Johney (VA Event Co-Host): “What a great day! We had an amazing time meeting Cervivor sisters in Fairfax Va! What a perfect way to celebrate National Patient Advocacy Day: Fairfax, VA! Thank you to Caboose Commons for hosting us!”

Lorie Wallace (MI Event Host): “What a wonderful event. Considering there are over a million people right now who are attending the world’s largest car cruise just down the street from this event, I’m very thankful that I got a wonderful group together. Thank you. Happy National Patient Advocacy Day: Metro Detroit, Michigan!”

Check out more event photos below!