Reflecting on the Cervical Cancer Summit: A Step Forward in Cervical Cancer

Last week, the global cervical cancer community came together for a momentous occasion for the Biden Cancer Moonshot Cervical Cancer Forum with a crucial discussion being led nonother by our Founder and Chief Visionary, Tamika Felder.

Then over the weekend, the Cervical Cancer Summit powered by Cervivor was held at NeueHouse in New York City. This event brought experts, researchers, healthcare professionals, family members, and patient advocate voices together under one roof to discuss the latest advancements, challenges, and strategies in the cervical cancer space. Check out the key takeaways from the summit, highlighting the crucial discussions and initiatives that can potentially shape the future of cervical cancer.

The State of Cervical Cancer: The summit kicked off with a sobering overview of the current domestic and global burden of cervical cancer. Dr. Catharine Young or the Biden Cancer Moonshot, emphasized the need for concerted efforts to address this preventable disease. The discussions underscored the importance of raising awareness and implementing widespread screening programs to detect and treat cervical cancer at an early, more manageable stage. Followed by the basics of cervical cancer and treatment by world-renowned Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Onyinye Balogun.

Collaboration and Communication: Local Gynecologic Oncologist, Dr. Jason Wright teamed up with long-time patient advocate and Cervivor Ambassador, Patti Murillo Casa to share how effective communication and partnership have benefited in raising awareness in New York. 

Dynamic Keynote Addresses: By Jonny Imerman, Co-Founder of Imerman Angels and Cloz Talk, and Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, Founder of Susan G. Komen and the Promise Fund.

Addressing Disparities: One of the summit’s overarching goals was to address health disparities in cervical cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship. Expert and patient-led panels discussed the challenges faced by marginalized communities, both in terms of access to healthcare and cultural barriers. The summit called for a comprehensive, inclusive approach to ensure that cervical cancer prevention strategies are equitable and accessible to all.

Vaccination and Stigma: Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), a leading cause of cervical cancer, emerged as a central theme. Presenters shared updates on vaccination and strategies to improve HPV vaccine coverage globally. The summit emphasized the importance of education and outreach efforts to dispel myths and misinformation surrounding HPV vaccination, ensuring that more individuals receive the protection they need and eliminating the stigma surrounding it.

The Cervical Cancer Summit is a milestone in the ongoing mission to end cervical cancer. By fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and advocating for change, the summit has set the stage for a future where cervical cancer is not just treatable but preventable. As we reflect on the discussions and initiatives sparked by this event, it is evident that the path forward involves a collective commitment to prioritize women’s health globally.

Founder and Chief Visionary, Tamika Felder announced on Saturday the establishment of The Virginia “Ginny” Marable “Cervivor Baby” Grant: Supporting Your Path to Parenthood.

Congratulations to the 2024 Cervivor Champion recipients: Jonny Imerman, Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, Dr. Linda Eckert, Dr. Jennifer Young Pierce, Michelle Whitlock, Lorie Wallace, Karen North, and Gilma Pereda! Your dedication and contributions to Cervivor’s mission are truly commendable. Your efforts make a significant impact in raising awareness, supporting those impacted, and advancing research in the mission to end cervical cancer. Cervivor applauds your commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of individuals affected by this disease.

We appreciate the generous support from our dedicated sponsors: Hologic, Seagen, Genmab, BD, and Roche

Cervivor Takes Manhattan!

As we wrapped up the last weekend of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM), we headed to New York for a monumental event that started off this year’s Cervical Cancer Summit powered by Cervivor.

Founder Tamika Felder, along with members from the Cervivor community, were invited to ring the closing bell on Nasdaq. Tamika’s call to action to the world, “Join us in this mission because no one should die from cervical cancer.” And the world is listening!

We kicked off the 2023 Cervical Cancer Summit in partnership with Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute, it was truly an inspired and innovated conversation with Eve McDavid, a cervical cancer survivor and Fem Tech entrepreneur, along with the brilliant Dr. Onyinye Balogun and Fernando Gomez-Baquero. By using the patient voice, they are developing a revolutionary new device that will transform Brachytherapy, which still uses the same barbaric process that was developed in the 1970’s, with no regard for the actual female anatomy. We are excited to see more innovations like this happening in treatment altogether!

We continued with the patient voice perspective with members of the Cervivor community speaking on the Power in Patient Voices with Arlene Simpson, Yvette Torres, Kadiana Vegee and Kate Weissman. They shared how the collective Cervivor voice can bring more visibility and influence change, working towards our common goal of ending cervical cancer.

Dr. Rebecca Perkins joined us for Expert Hour on all things cervical cancer and HPV. You can tell that Dr. Perkins is very passionate about educating others to understand the importance of HPV vaccination and cancer prevention. “HPV vaccination is cancer prevention!”

The day continued with a session on Emotional Resilience: Survivorship & Support. Community members Anna Ogo, Tina Vetreno and Tiera Wade joined presenter Danielle Modlo, who is a Certified Nurse Practitioner at Cleveland Clinic, really brought to the surface what cervical cancer patients and survivors face from a mental health and wellness perspective during and after treatment.

Joslyn Paguio, Cervivor Podcast host, lead a conversation on Sexual Health with Dr. Rosemary Basson on how we navigate our ‘new groove’ through our physical and emotional changes that cancer brings to our sexual desires.

Our last panel discussion was on Navigating a Cervical Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Options – What’s Best for Ourselves with Ayanna Bass, Karla Chavez, Carol Lacey, Jenn Myers, Karen North, Selena Ruston and Kimberly Williams. We discussed how we make sense of everything we go through from diagnosis and beyond, and choosing the best treatment plan for you which may include clinical trials, more surgeries, or second opinions.

Just as the day began, we ended with an exhilarating bang as Dr. Cindy Trice shared her personal cervical cancer journey and how years later that journey helped create and fuel KickIt Pajamas. She truly turned her pain into purpose and we just love her company’s mantra, “Friends don’t let friends have hospital butt.” Her inspirational talk left us laughing and crying.

Last but not least, we celebrated five new Cervivor Champion Award recipients for going above and beyond with the mission of Cervivor being their driving force. Join us in congratulating these outstanding individuals as our 2023 Cervivor Champions!