Tamika Felder

Cervivor School 2024: Our 10th Year of Patient Advocate Training Success

Marking the 10th anniversary of the first Cervivor School in New York City in 2014, this year’s annual patient advocate training program was a testament to Cervivor’s commitment to empowering patients and survivors to have a voice in their own health. It also solidified Cervivor School’s reputation as a top-tier program that has mobilized advocates worldwide.

The cause colors’ teal and white were on full display throughout the three-day event held in Minneapolis from September 12 to 14. More than 45 attendees – including Cervivor Ambassadors, valued industry sponsors, distinguished speakers, and, of course, the Cervivor School class of 2024 – dyed their hair, painted their nails, and coordinated their outfits to demonstrate their loud-and-proud dedication to Cervivor’s mission: ending cervical cancer through patient advocacy now.

Founder and Chief Visionary, Tamika Felder welcomes attendees to Cervivor School.
Kat Gentner Shaw provides graphic illustrations for class.

By the end, this year’s school was deemed a complete success, with attendees creating meaningful connections and gaining an extensive education – or a refresher – on the latest initiatives and information needed to make the most impact with our advocacy work. This continued success is due to the tireless dedication of Founder and Chief Visionary Tamika Felder, whose unwavering commitment has driven both the program’s impact and longevity. 

Here’s what happened at Cervivor School 2024.

Cervivor School Officially Opens

On Thursday, the official Welcome Reception began at the downtown W Minneapolis – The Foshay, where the weekend’s patient advocate training activities took place. Attendees, dressed to impress, mingled over food and drinks and were welcomed by Cervivor’s founder Tamika, a 23-year cervical cancer survivor herself.

Kimbery and Linda snap a selfie at the welcome reception.
Members of Cervivor Español mingle at the welcome reception.

The following morning, Tamika kicked things off with a powerful presentation about her “why” – the driving force behind her patient advocacy and the reason she founded Cervivor almost 20 years ago. She cited a quote from Dr. Heather Palmer that resonated deeply with the group, garnering many knowing nods: “Cancer is a gift wrapped in barbed wire.”

Mallory Erickson presents on fundraising.
Roshanda Pratt teaches attendees powerful media tips.

Among the day’s speakers: 

  • Mallory Erickson, fundraising expert and host of the “What the Fundraising” podcast (featuring Tamika in an early episode!), led a session introduced by Cervivor Ambassador Karen North, who shared some of her fundraising successes including a creative and profitable drag bingo event she organized. 
  • Roshanda Pratt, acclaimed motivational speaker, book author, and media maven of “The Ro Show Live,” followed with a hilarious and insightful presentation on strategic storytelling. She highlighted why sharing our survivor stories is vital: It connects us, prompts action, and provides context. 
  • Members of Team Cervivor were interspersed throughout the day including Community Liaison Morgan Newman, who thoroughly unpacked Cervivor’s mission and patient advocacy approach, and Lead Cervivor Ambassador Carol Lacey, who moderated a panel of Cervivor Ambassadors – Lindsay Gullatte-Lee, Christy Chambers, and Claudia Pérez-Favela.

Day 2’s official programming concluded with an open discussion, allowing attendees to reflect on the emotional journey of survivorship.

Diving Into the Data

The final day of the intensive patient advocate training program focused on learning about ongoing initiatives from pharmaceutical companies, researchers, the federal government, as well as legislative efforts. The goal? Connect the Cervivor School attendees to the broader global advocacy work that still lies ahead.

Dr. Allison Garda gives attendees the CervicalCancer 101.
Nikki Hayes encourages attendees to continue advocacy with health equity at the forefront.

Among the day’s speakers: 

Additionally, Cervivor community members participated in thought-provoking panels, including one moderated by our DEI chief Kimberly Williams with Karla Chávez and Claudia Pérez-Favela, aimed at dismantling the damaging stigma that prevents too many people from getting the care and support they deserve. Cervivor Ambassadors Tiera Wade, Emily Hoffman, and Anne Zajic also shared how they’ve harnessed their unique strengths and perspectives to advocate effectively through Cervivor.

Karla Chavez, Shelly Dusic, and Kimberly Williams discuss Stigma Elimination in cervical cancer.
Tiera Wade, Anne Zajic, and Emily Hoffman share their insights as Cervivor Ambassadors.

Rewarding Cervivor’s Outstanding Advocates

Cervivor School concluded with a momentous graduation ceremony, followed by a special recognition ceremony, where five outstanding individuals were honored for their exceptional dedication to Cervivor’s mission to end cervical cancer. Our founder Tamika proudly presented these remarkable individuals with awards, acknowledging their tireless efforts in spreading awareness, supporting survivors, and advancing the Cervivor mission. (Read more about the patient advocacy award winners.) This milestone marks the beginning of a new chapter for these empowered advocates, making a lasting impact in their communities. 

Thank You Again to Our Sponsors, Speakers, and Supporters

This year’s Cervivor School was made possible by the generous support of Hologic, which provided beautiful and useful goodie bags for all attendees, as well as our sponsors Pfizer, Genmab, Genentech, BD, and Roche. We also owe a heartfelt thank you to the speakers who dedicated their time and expertise throughout the weekend.

The 2024 Cervivor School Graduates, Mentors, and Cervivor Team

We’d also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the generous companies and individuals who helped make Cervivor School 2024 an empowering experience for our attendees. Special thanks to The Business Women’s Circle (BWC), led by Lani Basa, for cultivating a supportive community that fuels growth and collaboration, as well as Heather Bantle, Executive & Transitions Coach, for her expertise in guiding individuals through life’s challenges. Additionally, we thank WAY the Label for their sustainable accessories, and KickIt Pajamas for providing their cozy, functional, and stylish KickIt socks that bring warmth and comfort to cancer patients. 

Want to Attend Cervivor School in the Future? 

To secure your seat at one of Cervivor’s future patient advocate training programs, we encourage you to commit to cervical cancer patient advocacy and expanding the Cervivor Footprint. Visit our Cervivor School page to sign up for updates, or subscribe to our newsletter by scrolling to the bottom of this page – and be the first to know about our important initiatives!

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.