Cervivor

💜 Let’s talk about s*x after cancer.

Cancer changes so much—including how we experience our bodies, intimacy, relationships, and s*xuality. And these conversations deserve space, honesty, and zero shame.

Join us tomorrow, September 29 at 6 PM ET for S*x After Cancer, a safe and supportive conversation with Erin Sullivan Wagner about what intimacy can look like after a gynecologic cancer diagnosis.

Whether you have questions, are navigating changes in your body, or simply want to know you’re not alone—come as you are. 💜

📲 Join us via Zoom: Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/8No5LxdJRq22T8ZkuSMQbg

Let’s talk about the things we don’t always talk about. Out loud. Without shame. Together.

*xAfterCancer

𝐏𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐆𝐲𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 & 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐞, 𝐀𝐙. 💜🩵🤍🧡

There were plenty of colorful PJs (many by KickIt Recovery Wear, street tacos, a seriously good mac-and-cheese bar, prickly pear lemonade, and waist beads shared by Cervivor Community Outreach & Partnership Director Tiera Wade along with the personal meaning behind them.

The best part of the evening? What happened naturally around all of it: survivors of all gynecologic cancers connecting, swapping stories, asking questions, laughing, and realizing just how much they have in common.

For some attendees, this was their first time ever being in a room with other gynecologic cancer survivors. And by bringing together people affected by cervical, ovarian, endometrial, and other gynecologic cancers, conversations quickly crossed cancer types.

That’s exactly what we hoped this retreat would create: a space to feel seen, find community, and grow stronger together.
And that was only night one!

It's Wednesday, so time for more - GCAM style.

For decades, ovarian cancer was referred to as a "silent" disease. Today, clinical research proves that ovarian cancer does produce early warning signs; they are simply subtle and easily mistaken for common digestive or urinary issues.

The key difference between normal digestive upset and symptoms linked to ovarian cancer is FREQUENCY and PERSISTENCE.

If these symptoms occur more than 12 to 15 times in a single month and are new to you, consult your doctor and specifically ask:

"Could this be related to my ovaries?"

The four most common early symptoms include:
🚩 Persistent abdominal bloating, fullness, or swelling
🚩 Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
🚩 Pelvic or abdominal pain that does not resolve
🚩 Urinary urgency (feeling like you need to go constantly) or frequency

Because there is no routine screening test for ovarian cancer, recognizing these early cues is critical for timely diagnosis.

Knowledge is power. Help us break the myth that ovarian cancer has no signs.

This Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, we’re honored to spotlight Cervivor community member LeLisa Arrington. 💜

LeLisa’s story is one of resilience, hope, and turning experience into action. After being diagnosed with uterine cancer at 44, she faced another life-changing diagnosis in 2023: Stage IV pancreatic cancer.

After aggressive chemotherapy and a clinical trial at Johns Hopkins, LeLisa achieved a 100% immune response to immunotherapy. Today, her latest scans show No Evidence of Disease (NED), and she is using this next chapter to advocate for early detection, immunotherapy, and greater cancer awareness.

Her advice to anyone who wants to make a difference is simple: “Just do something.” Start with the resources you have. Use your voice. Take one step outside your comfort zone. One act of advocacy can open the door to another.

At Cervivor, we know the power of sharing our stories and using our experiences to create change. This , help us amplify voices like LeLisa’s by liking, commenting, sharing, and continuing the conversation. 🩵
LeLisa’s story is still unfolding, and we’re grateful to have her as part of the Cervivor community.

💜 Knowledge saves lives. Let’s talk openly about gynecologic cancers and empower people everywhere to take charge of their health.

In Case You Missed It: Week 3 of Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month

Week three of GCAM 2026 was packed with global survivor features, critical clinical education, community milestones, and live advocacy in Washington, D.C.

Here is everything we shared across our community this week:

Meet the Community: We celebrated Cervivor community member Kadiana marking six years of No Evidence of Disease (NED), honoring her gratitude, faith, and journey through survivorship.

Global Advocacy Stories: We featured seven survivors, caregivers, and advocates—Naomi Aziz, Kath Mazzella OAM, Adrienne Moore, Nefa-Tari Moore, Alvina Nadeem, Runsi Sen, and Claudia Pérez-Favela—who are driving health equity and advancing gynecologic cancer care around the world.

Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff: We launched our Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, highlighting advocates Maritza Manjarrez, Dulcely Tavarez, and Yvette Torres while hosting our monthly Cervivor Español Café con Leche virtual meetup.

Tag, You're It! Tuesday in D.C.: We spotlighted the Foundation for Women's Cancer (FWC) ahead of a powerful weekend in Washington, D.C. Cervivor Ambassador Trish Byerly represented our community as a featured speaker at FWC's Patient & Advocate Education Forum and led our team table at the Race to End Women's Cancer at Freedom Plaza.

Wisdom Wednesday: Postmenopausal Bleeding: We highlighted the primary warning sign of uterine (endometrial) cancer—noting that roughly 90% of individuals diagnosed experience abnormal vaginal bleeding prior to diagnosis—and emphasized the rule that any postmenopausal bleeding requires prompt evaluation.

Talk About It Thursday: Healthcare Experience: We opened up a candid community conversation about navigating care teams, asking survivors whether they felt heard or had to push past barriers to receive timely care.

17 Years of Survivor Slimdown: We celebrated the 17th anniversary of Survivor Slimdown—originally established in 2009 by Tamika Felder, Cindy Craddock, and Pamela Akers for triathlon training, re-launched in 2018 for all survivors, and led for the past 8 years by Patti Murillo-Casa—empowering survivors to maintain healthy, balanced lifestyles.

Join us in wishing a Happy 17 year Anniversary to Survivor Slimdown.

Survivor Slimdown was established on 9-19-09 by Tamika Felder:

Originally was put in place for three cervical cancer survivors (Tamika Felder, Cindy Craddock, & Pamela Akers) training for a triathlon that was taking place on October 3, 2010.

On January 2018, Cervivor re-launched Survivor Slimdown to support ALL cancer survivors in their fight to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle after a cancer diagnosis.

Patti Murillo-Casa has had the honor and privilege to lead this group for 8 years, and hopes that you have felt supported and informed.

Team Survivor Slimdown thrive to give you as much information as possible.

Tell us how we have helped you, or how can we help you? And join the group if you haven’t already.

It's Thursday, which means it's time to Talk About It - GCAM Edition.

Let's Talk About...Your Care Experience 👀

Navigating the healthcare system while dealing with a cancer diagnosis requires incredible strength.

Every care journey looks different. Some patients find immediate support with an empathetic team, while others have to fight, switch doctors, or push hard just to get their symptoms taken seriously!

What was your experience with your care team?

Did you feel heard and advocated for, or did you have to push past barriers to get the care you deserved?

Share your care experience in the comments below.