Karen North

This is What We’re Thankful For

Team Cervivor has a lot to be thankful for this year! From an amazing Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in January to our Founder and Chief Visionary finding out she was becoming a mother through an exceptional gift to representing Cervivor at the World Cancer Congress in Switzerland to the opening remarks at the White House for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Roundtables launch. There is too much to count.

Where our community continues to grow quickly, we’ve been able to spread our collective wings and soar higher toward our mission of ending cervical cancer -all while supporting the members of this amazing community. This season represents togetherness and gratitude and we want to share what’s in our hearts and how you have been the center of our thankfulness. 

“I am thankful for the relationships that have been formed from one of the hardest aspects of all of our lives. It warms my heart so much to see people in our community going through a hard time to still show up for others. It’s what makes our community extra special.” – Tamika Felder, Cervivor Founder & Chief Visionary

“I am beyond grateful to be able to connect with and serve so many incredible people in the Cervivor community. It truly makes my job so much bigger than I could have ever imagined it to be.” – Morgan Newman, Cervivor Community Engagement Liaison

“I am thankful for the dedication, hard work, and effort that so many within our community make towards our collective goals!” – Heather Banks, Cervivor Lead Advocacy Educator

“I am grateful that our Cervivor community is full of compassionate people, from all over the globe, who never hesitate to uplift one another and that many have chosen to make their survivorship a beacon for change.” – Carol Lacey, Lead Cervivor Ambassador

“I’m grateful to this community because we are people woven together. We lean on one another, learn from one another, celebrate together, and grieve together.” – Patti Murillo-Casa, Cervivor Wellness Instructor for Survivor Slimdown and Co-Lead for Cervivor Español

“I am grateful for our Cervivor Community. The fact that we share with each other cultivates our relationships and our passion in ending cervical cancer. Each one of us is cog in this intricate machine that is advocating for our health. This is what I find beautiful and makes me feel grateful: we are not alone, and with that fact we can accomplish our mission.” – Karla Chavez, Cervivor Español Co-Lead

“I am forever grateful for our Cervivor community. The support and understanding allowed me to know that I am not alone. The education and empowerment has allowed me to be an advocate for myself and many others.” – Karen North, Cervivor Community Administrator

“I am grateful that I have cervical cancer sisters that understand my journey, they understand my lows and frustrations because they have been there. At times, as a cancer survivor, you can feel alone because people don’t ‘get you’. With the Cervivor community, I know that I am surrounded by women that understand me.” – Kimberly Williams, Cervivor Community Administrator

All of you strengthen our resolve to keep doing the work of bringing cervical cancer out from the shadows. Thank you for being a community of light for so many. The world is listening and together our voice is strong and steadfast in its resilience. We are Cervivor and ending cervical cancer is within our reach.

Supporting Above-the-Belt Cancer

September gave us an opportunity to bring more awareness to multiple gynecologic cancers that affect over 604,000 people globally every year. As below-the-belt cancer activists, Cervivor knows how important it is to talk about cancers that have less visibility than others. The more we share, the more awareness we raise.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) and there was a time when no one was talking about cancer, especially ‘boob’ cancer. It was organizations like Susan G. Komen and the National Breast Cancer Foundation that paved the way. Yet, despite the sea of October pink, an estimated 685,000 people globally died from breast cancer in 2020. Inclusive healthcare and continued awareness is still needed to reduce this number.

Here’s where both above- and below-the-belt cancers are similar: They are all destructive and take far too much from us. Many of us struggle to accept our changed bodies; the physical and mental toll it takes to rediscover ourselves. We are all in the ‘cancer club’ regardless of what color our awareness ribbon reflects and conversations help break down taboos and stigmas.

This month we are sporting pink and supporting our fellow breast cancer survivors and patients all while waving our teal & white. The Cervivor community has members who are both breast and cervical cancer survivors – like Karen and Laura, who make sure to share their stories, especially in October and again in January for Cervical Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM).

We also support our community members – like Kadiana, who knew she was at risk for the BRCA-1 gene after losing her mother to ovarian cancer. We have a commitment to support inclusive cancer prevention efforts because by doing so, we elevate those less discussed cancers like cervical. We will call upon our cancer community friends and partners come January to spread our message of cervical cancer prevention, so let’s give a voice to breast cancer awareness and prevention this month!