CeMe: Tackling Barriers Around Sharing Cervical Cancer Stories

It's estimated that 14,100 people in the United States will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2022 alone. Of those, 4,280 will die as a result of their diagnosis. Most of the time, we don't hear the stories of those fighting a battle with this disease  Thanks to a campaign called CeMe, which was created by Seagen and Genmab, these women are finally getting a voice. This campaign not only gives representation to the diverse women in the cervical cancer community, but to also shares stories that foster deeper connections and empower women in their care.

CeMe shares the stories of real-life women with cervical cancer through videos. The patients and advocates tackle difficult conversations. Hear the heartbreaking struggle of  a single mother living with cervical cancer, inspiring tales of confronting cultural barriers facing women of color, or just get tips on supporting a loved one while navigating a cancer diagnosis.

An example of one of the women highlighted by CeMe is Aisha, a single mom. After being diagnosed at the age of 32, Aisha found herself balancing cervical cancer and being a single parent to her young children. Today, she’s a Cervical Cancer Program Coordinator at SHARE Cancer Support where she helps cancer patients connect with the resources she needed when she was diagnosed.

Another member of the CeMe campaign is Arlene.  New Age Mama was lucky enough to speak with her personally. Arlene is a Filipino American woman diagnosed with cervical cancer at age 48. Following her diagnosis, she made it her mission to share her  experience of navigating living with cervical cancer at the intersection of her identities as a mom, a caregiver, and an Asian American woman. Here are some of the questions Arlene answered for us during our interview.

Q) What are some of the cultural obstacles you had to overcome especially as an Asian woman when you speak about cervical cancer?

A) Initially, when I got the cancer call, I felt like I did something wrong; that I could've taken better care of myself. I felt ashamed. Growing up, I was never educated on sexual health, HPV, or vaccinations, so when I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and found out it was a preventable cancer, I was upset that I didn't get that education early on. 

Q) What advice would you have for other women going through a cancer diagnosis?

A) I would like other women to remember that cancer is just another chapter in our life. It's not our whole life and the challenges we will face will happen, but we must learn to control what we can control and have a more positive mindset. Focus on the small things in life that many of us forget, like waking up alive; having an attitude of gratitude. I really live by that every day and I believe everything happens for a reason. I believe we can get through anything and by sharing our stories its also a healing journey for us and we can make a difference for another person going through their cancer diagnosis. 

Q) How did you seek out support during your cervical cancer journey?

A) Social media actually played a positive influence during my journey. I was seeking out  advocacy groups, googling them, but I found a group in particular called Cervicor. They had a diverse group of women who were so open and women I can really relate to because after my treatment, people don't understand that my life doesn't go back to normal. Whatever normal is. And I was glad to find a space of women where I wasn't afraid to voice my feelings and I wasn't judged or I didn't feel alone.

Q) Can you elaborate more on why its important for women who are at risk or have been diagnosed to hear other women's stories?

A) I think its important because if women can see the similarities they have with one another, they will not feel alone and will be more open to share their stories. In my culture, being Asian American, it will raise awareness of the things that need to be changed. For example, instead of being silent or ashamed to talk about sexual health or HPV, we can bridge the gap between our generations so we can communicate more effectively. Every since my cancer diagnosis, my daughter and I have had more open conversations in regards to sexual health and HPV, so I believe that that's a big step going forward.

Q) What else can you tell our audience about CeMe and where they can go for more information.

A) Seagen and Genmab created something special here with the CeMe initiative by highlighting real stories of diverse women of different races, cultures, and backgrounds. To often in the media we only hear conversations about prevention and eradication of cervical cancer . Here, they are highlighting diverse cultures like my Asian American community in the social media space so that brings out more awareness of important topics and messages that need to be addressed. So I'm proud to be a part of the CeMe initiative and I would like others to share my story and visit and watch the other stories on this channel. That channel is on YouTube. Its really sharing what the CeMe Initiative does. Its really paving the way to bring more awareness to cervical cancer. 

Speaking with Arlene was a truly inspiring experience, but her story is only one of many. If you'd like to hear more inspiring stories like those of Aisha and Arlene, be sure to check out the CeMe YouTube Channel.