Cervivor Presnts Stirrup Storis: Narratives Beyond the Speculum

Thursday May 12 was a truly epic event. Tamika Felder,

Chief Visionary of Cervivor (http://cervivor.org/a, a non profit for women dealing with HPV and cervical cancer, as well as their famiies; gathered a group of Cervivor sisters to perform monologues at the Howard theater in Washington DC to share our stories dealing with persistent HPV and cervical cancer. It was truly an epic event. So many of us came together to share our experiences. What could have been a maudlin event was actually a celebration of strength, courage, and yes, joy and affirmation. I was truly honored and humbled to be a part in such and amazing event.

I admit, I was beyond nervous at the thought of getting up in a room full of strangers, and sharing  a very traumatic experience from my past that definitely impacted the was that I avoided seeing a gynecologist. But the time I did manage to make an appointment, I already had cervical cancer.

Telling my story was incredibly difficult. Fortunately, I was surrounded by my Cervivor sisters, whose support is invaluable. And afterwards, I had multiple women approach me to share their own stories of sexual assault, and how it had negatively impacted their lives. But what I hard, over and over again, was that I am not alone. These women, these strangers, truly gave me a gift - a hug, a word of encouragement, a comment on my bravery, when I did not feel brave at all.

My next post will be my monologue, so you can  fully grasp the idea of what happened to me, and how I had such a hard time of taking care of my gynecological health for many years.

Each of the stories told that night moved me beyond words. Some stories I had heard before, others were new to me. But the best thing about Cervivor is that we are here for each other. It really is a sisterhood. Tamika always says that together, we have two shouldrs to lean on, and that makes all the difference.

It was an incredible night, and despite my fear of baring my soul to a room full of strangers, I am glad that I did. Sexual assault has a tendency to instilled fear when it comes to gynecologists visits. But our health is th most important thing, and we need to stay up to date on our pelvic and well woman exams. The best is when you are able to find a doctor who goes slowly, gently, and explains the procedures step by step. If you find yourself in the same situation, remember IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT, and that there are groups and that ther are people there to help.

Overall, Stirrup Stories was a huge success. We were able to reach a lot of people, and allow them to put a real, normal face to the disease. It was honestly a night of celebration, and it was a beautiful thing to behold.

I am beyond grateful for my Cervivor sistrs, and their continuing, unwavering support. I love you all so dearly.

xoxoxoxo