Real Women, Real Stories

Schern Yung on the beach

My OB-GYN Told Me It Was Nothing to Worry About — But It Ended Up Being Ovarian Cancer

Fortunately, I wound up with a supportive team of healthcare providers who helped me get well

Aidee Granados

Culture Shock, Then a Cancer Shock, Inspired Me to Create the Community I Needed

As a young mom and recent immigrant to the United States, I thought my life was moving and changing quickly — but cancer was moving even faster

Diana Brown

Doctors Told Me It Was Just Perimenopause. It Turned Out to Be Uterine Fibroids.

I wasn’t taken seriously until I developed symptoms of organ failure

Rachel Cohen

A Doctor Talked Me into Getting a Hysterectomy to Cure My Endometriosis. She Was Wrong.

I wish doctors had listened to me, and I wish I’d known to advocate for myself

Tara Mulder

Living with Ovarian Cancer Was Tough, but the Lessons I Learned Led to Lasting Joy and Clarity

I learned how amazing collaborative doctors can be and I was able to prioritize what makes me happy

Alyssa Elaskari

My Uterine Fibroids Make Partner Intimacy and Honoring My Religion Challenging, But I’ve Found Ways to Cope

Though long, heavy and painful periods affect my daily life and prayer rituals, I still find the beauty of God’s mercy in the everyday

Pooja Mehta

I’ve Learned to Be Open About My Mental Illness to Help Bring Awareness in the Indian Community

After years of living in shame, I’m now a mental health advocate who embraces her culture and identity

Carole Motycka

I Walked into the ER with a Shoulder Injury — I Left with a Colon Cancer Diagnosis and 6 Months to Live

As a colon cancer survivor turned advocate, I see the role luck, self-advocacy and privilege played in my diagnosis and treatment

Lauren Wilson

Losing Many Women in My Family to Dementia Inspired Me to Donate My Brain to Science

I hope more of us will donate their brains science to help improve medical understanding of this complex organ

photo Jocelyn Apodaca Schlossberg

I Grew Up Thinking I Was Immune to Skin Cancer Based on My Ethnicity. I Was Wrong.

As a young melanoma survivor of color, I advocate for awareness and sun protection for everyone

photo Jocelyn Apodaca Schlossberg

Crecí pensando que era inmune al cáncer de piel por mi etnia. Estaba equivocada.

Puesto que soy una joven sobreviviente de melanoma de color, promuevo la concientización y la protección solar para todos

Bee Velasquez

I Was Diagnosed with HIV When I Was 15. It’s Been a Journey of Learning to Love Myself Enough to Take My Meds.

It wasn’t until I met my husband that I realized I needed to put myself — and my health — first