The American Cancer Society estimates that a total of 4,290 women will die from cervical cancer this year and that there will be 13,800 new cases. Tracy Jimenez, 50, wanted to be more than just a survivor of the deadly disease.
Since her battle with cervical cancer in 2016, Jimenez has become an advocate, spreading awareness about the disease and encouraging women to get regular gynecological exams and a Pap smear, which can detect abnormal cells that could lead to cervical cancer.
Just four days after her 46th birthday, on Nov. 1, 2016, Jimenez learned that she had stage II cervical cancer and HPV. Cervical cancer is caused by the HPV virus.
“Before I was diagnosed, I had never heard of cervical cancer,” Jimenez said. “I didn’t know what I was up against. My first thought was: ‘Am I going to die?'”
Early this year, the Longmont City Council created a proclamation, at Jimenez’s request, for January to be Cervical Cancer Awareness month. The disease, the proclamation reads, is the fourth-most common cancer in women worldwide. As the one-year anniversary of the proclamation approaches, Jimenez hopes to continue her awareness about the disease. Longmont Mayor Brian Bagley said he supported this mission.
“I felt that this was an appropriate use of mayoral proclamation, because it was a positive message about a Longmont citizen who was dealing with and overcoming adversity,” Bagley said. “I felt it was a good platform to bring awareness to the issue of cervical cancer.”
Jimenez works as an administrator and security guard in Westminster. She had three children, who are now grown and have children of their own. As a single mom, Jimenez said finding time to get to the doctor was difficult and she said she didn’t have insurance.
“I missed quite a few doctors’ visits,” Jimenez said. “I had never heard of HPV or had an HPV test done.”
Jimenez said she wants people to know that HPV can also affect men and give them cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control, men with HPV never develop symptoms. While the infection usually goes away on its own, if it remains it can cause certain kinds of cancer.
Jimenez said she went to the emergency room several times for pain in her back and legs, which can be a symptom of cervical cancer. Doctors told her it was sciatica, a term used to described nerve pain. It wasn’t until after her 46th birthday when she got a CT scan during another emergency room trip when they realized something more was wrong. Doctors had found an 8-centimeter tumor on her cervix, the lower, narrow end of the uterus.
For the next six months, Jimenez endured 28 radiation treatments, six chemotherapy treatments and four internal radiation treatments — the most intense and uncomfortable of the treatments, because it involves placing radioactive material inside the body, Jimenez said.
Jimenez, at the time, was working for a computer company and was still able to work part time, she said. When she wasn’t at work, she found herself trying to recover from treatments.
“I spent most of my time sleeping. I had no energy for nothing,” Jimenez said. “The radiation and the chemotherapy kicked my butt bad. It was kind of a wakeup call. I don’t want anyone to have to go through that. It’s the worst feeling I’ve ever had.”
In August 2017, Jimenez found out she was cancer-free. But, she wasn’t done fighting the disease yet. Jimenez is an ambassador for Cervivor, a global nonprofit that shares knowledge on the disease and connects survivors of the disease. In December, she hosted a silent auction and raised $1,500.
“I used to be quiet and laid-back, but after cancer I knew I needed to be a spokesperson,” Jimenez said, “and keep telling people how important it is that they get vaccinated and get a checkup.”
Had she known about cervical cancer, Jimenez said she would have felt inclined to go to the doctor more.
For those who have survived the disease or are currently battling it, Jimenez wants them to know there is support out there, starting with the American Cancer Society at cancer.org/cancer/cervical-cancer.html.
The American Cancer Society recommends that screening for cervical cancer should begin at age 25, and those aged 25 to 65 should have a primary HPV test every five years, or in combination with Pap tests.
