Kadiana Vegee

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.

It’s a Family Affair: How Advocacy Begins at Home for Cervivor Community Members

Cervical cancer advocacy often starts with a personal story—but it doesn’t end there. For many in the Cervivor community, it begins at home, with children watching, learning, and eventually joining the mission to end cervical cancer.

For Anne Zajic, a Stage 1B2 cervical cancer survivor and mom of three, advocacy has become a true family affair. Diagnosed in 2016 when her daughters were still very young, Anne leaned into the Cervivor community for strength and purpose. Today, she’s a Cervivor Ambassador, and her daughters—Clara, 11, and twins Julia and Katie, 9—are right beside her as Junior Ambassadors.

A family’s love for baking inspired their summer-long fundraiser to benefit Cervivor.

“They’ve grown up with advocacy as part of their lives,” says Anne, whose efforts include volunteering with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and helping secure gubernatorial proclamations in Kansas recognizing both HPV Awareness Day and Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. “They understand why we talk about HPV, screenings, and prevention—they’ve seen what this disease can do.”

Why It Matters

Family involvement in health education and advocacy can make a measurable impact.

According to the Community Preventive Services Task Force, family-based interventions can increase preventive screening rates by up to 35%. And when parents talk openly about HPV and cancer prevention, their children are significantly more likely to be vaccinated.

These conversations are critical—especially when so many still don’t realize cervical cancer is largely preventable. In 2024, more than 13,800 women in the U.S. were expected to be diagnosed with the disease, often without knowing the role HPV plays in causing it, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), respectively.

“We can’t keep letting people face this in silence,” says Anne. “The more families talk about it, the more lives we can save.”

Empowering the Next Generation

This summer, Anne and her daughters are turning cupcakes and cookies into action with a fundraiser benefiting Cervivor. Inspired by Julia’s idea to spend more time together while giving back, the family is popping up at local events, sharing their story—and plenty of sweet treats.

“Julia said, ‘Why don’t we do a bake sale?’ That was all I needed to hear,” Anne recalls with a laugh. “Baking has always been something we love doing together. Now, it’s become a way to raise awareness.”

Alongside the goodies, the girls will also be selling handmade jewelry crafted with love and purpose. “Every cookie, every cupcake, and every earring is a step toward supporting Cervivor’s mission to end cervical cancer,” says Anne.

For Cervivor Founder and Chief Visionary Tamika Felder, advocacy has long been a way of life—even before it became personal after surviving cervical cancer in her twenties. Raised in a family rooted in public service, she spent her childhood volunteering for causes and through her church. 

Cervivor founder Tamika (far left), her son, and Cervivor community members gathered in Cleveland last year to raise awareness. Kadiana, whose daughter also helped out, is third from left.

Now, her son Chayton often joins her at Cervivor events, learning the power of speaking up and giving back. At last year’s Communities of Color outreach effort in Cleveland, they were joined by one of her goddaughters, Ming, and Cervivor Ambassador Kadiana Vegee’s daughter, Aurianna—showcasing how the next generation is stepping into advocacy alongside their mothers and mentors.

“Children aren’t just watching us—they’re learning from us,” says Tamika, recalling how her goddaughter Kennedy, then in elementary school and now a college student, once held a Giving Tuesday bake sale to support Cervivor. “When a child sees you stand up for something that matters, it stays with them. That’s how movements grow—across generations.”

Tamika’s goddaughter, Kennedy, hosts a bake sale in 2019, donating a percentage of proceeds to Cervivor, Inc. to help women with cervical cancer.

One of Cervivor’s bright lights, Becky Wallace, tragically passed away in 2021—but her legacy continues to shine. In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, her tween daughters organized a heartfelt neighborhood bike-a-thon, raising over $2,000 in support of Cervivor. Their inspiring efforts, captured in this moving video, remind us that it’s never too early to stand up for a cause you believe in—especially when it’s your mom’s life on the line. (Warning: You might need tissues.)

Get Your Family Involved 

Whether it’s hosting a bake sale or a bike-a-thon, traveling to awareness events, or simply having honest conversations around the dinner table, Cervivors are teaching their children that advocacy is a shared responsibility—and a powerful gift.

“This isn’t just my story anymore,” says Anne. “It’s my daughters’ story, too. Our fundraiser is just one example of what advocacy can look like. You don’t have to start big—just start somewhere. Whether it’s baking cookies, creating art, or hosting a virtual event, your passion can fuel change.”

Support Cervivor’s Mission!

Want to get your family involved in cervical cancer advocacy? Have a fundraising idea? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] and let’s turn your creativity into support for survivors.

And don’t forget to check out Tell 20, Give 20—Cervivor’s awareness and fundraising campaign celebrating 20 years of impact. We are grateful for every dollar donated that helps us get closer to ending cervical cancer.