Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/251527
FEBRUARY 2014 | BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM 49 "It is difficult to explain to people where your cancer is and what you are going through." -Joanne Pearson From left: Suzanne and Jamie Some women are embarrassed to dis- cuss symptoms that involve their very private parts. Some may lack awareness about the symptoms as real warning signs, and thus lack a of sense of urgency about them. Others simply put off going in for annual gynecological exams, which prevent them from speaking up to their doctors sooner. ŀˬTmSWHYEVENTHOUGH)17CLEˬRS most peoples' bodies, Joanne, Jamie and Suzanne all feel the imperative to share their experiences, and where their HPV-caused cancers have left them—in THEHOPESOTHERWOMENDONmTˬLSOǠND themselves, unknowingly, on the same painful course. During her cancer journey, Jamie had learned to focus on her health, her mind and her body. nŀˬTWˬSNmTˬPRIORITYBEFORECˬNCER I was just living, getting through. After cancer, I am living with more passion and MEˬNINGoSHESˬYSŀˬTINCLUDESTˬLKING about it and giving back through Gilda's Club Madison, an annual Memorial Mo- torcycle Ride to raise funds for the UW Carbone Cancer Center and the FWC's Annual Worldwide Globe-thon, a soli- darity walk for those affected by gyneco- logical cancer. Suzanne, too, openly shares the de- tails of her still ongoing experience. Her cancer treatments ended 18 months ago, and currently she's grappling with bowel DˬMˬGEˬNDDIǝCULTIESrˬRESULTOFHER OFRˬDIˬTIONTREˬTMENTSnŀEGIFToSHE half jokes, "that keeps on giving." She mourns her old life when she was more free spirited and had more spontaneity. She and her partner, Jeff, now live by a new mantra: Make it count. As survivors, Suzanne and Jamie stress the importance of annual gynecologic physicals and consistent Pap tests that are combined with DNA HPV testing be- tween the ages of 30 and 65. Doing so can mean that if you do test HPV positive, you'll have a course of action to remove abnormal or precancerous cells before they develop into the cancer cells that have plagued them. "Before my cancer diagnosis," says Suzanne, "I had been going every year FORYEˬRSSTRˬIGHTŀEN*WENTBˬCKTO school and started a demanding job and did not have another Pap between 2003 and 2009. If I had not had the six-year gap in health care, I might have been diagnosed with pre-cancerous cells in- stead of invasive cervical cancer." Her hindsight, and best advice to women? Know the common symptoms— vaginal discharge, bleeding or pain after sex and itchiness "down there." Don't wait to talk about it. And, both women stress, know your situation. "Every woman should ask for the HPV test to know her status. If I had known my HPV DNA status earlier," says Suzanne, "I would have gotten myself in for diag- nostic tests much sooner and my outcome could have been very different. " Jamie's hindsight is even more sober. She posted this on her blog prior to her treatments: "Had I been able to be vac- cinated against HPV, I may never have gotten cervical cancer." For more common HPV myths and realities, visit BRAVAmagazine.com. SUZANNE'S HAIR BY AMY LANZHAMMER