January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, and today’s episode is about what we can do now and what’s finally changing for the better.

In this conversation, we break down:

• What cervical cancer is and how it develops
• Why screening and HPV vaccination save lives
• Common myths that still prevent people from getting protected
• And a practice-changing clinical trial that’s redefining treatment for people with high-risk cervical cancer

We also dive into newly released data from a major international phase 3 trial showing that adding immunotherapy to standard chemoradiation helps people with high-risk, locally advanced cervical cancer live longer and lowers the risk of recurrence—a breakthrough that’s been decades in the making.

This episode is about access, prevention, informed choice, and real hope, without fear-based messaging or medical jargon.

• How cervical cancer forms
• Who is at higher risk
• Why early detection makes such a difference

Learn more:

Cleveland Clinic – Cervical Cancer Overview

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12216-cervical-cancer

• Updated cervical cancer screening recommendations
• Pap tests vs HPV testing
• Why screening intervals have changed—and why that’s a good thing

Source:

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)

Updated Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines

https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2021/04/updated-cervical-cancer-screening-guidelines

• What HPV is and how it relates to cervical cancer
• Why the HPV vaccine is about cancer prevention, not behavior
• Addressing common myths with science, not shame

Sources:

Society of Behavioral Medicine – 7 HPV Vaccine Myths

https://www.sbm.org/healthy-living/7-hpv-vaccine-myths

CDC – HPV Vaccine Safety

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/hpv.html

We break down results from a major phase 3 international study (KEYNOTE-A18 / ENGOT-cx11 / GOG-3047) that found:

• Adding pembrolizumab (Keytruda) to standard chemoradiation
• Improved overall survival and progression-free survival
• For people with high-risk, locally advanced cervical cancer
• With a manageable and well-understood safety profile

This research is now being recognized as practice-changing and is expected to redefine the standard of care.

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet people still fall through the cracks due to:

• Misinformation
• Barriers to screening
• Limited access to care

This episode centers education, compassion, and autonomy—because knowledge should empower, not scare.

• American Association for Cancer Research – Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Happy New Year!!!! To kick off 2026 the ladies bring back some amazing friends Abby — Episodes 22 & 52, Stacey — Episodes 24 & 64, Molly — Episode 36, Alison — Episodes 38 & 39, Cara — Episode 85 for a community discussion.

This episode held space for both the heavy and the hopeful.

Together, we dove into the awkward, often painful moments of communication that cancer patients experience, even when the intentions behind the words are good.

Through honest conversation, shared laughter, and real vulnerability, we unpacked phrases that stuck with us for all the wrong reasons, explored how they made us feel, and offered guidance on how supporters can communicate with more care, awareness, and empathy.

This was a learning experience for us all. We shared our hurts openly, but just as importantly, we talked through how those same sentiments could have been expressed differently, giving our listeners practical, compassionate tools to better communicate.

What made this conversation especially powerful was how often our experiences overlapped. Many of us had heard the same phrases, felt the same reactions, and carried similar emotional weight, proof that these moments are common, and that small changes in language can make a meaningful difference.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Fng Cancer Spotlight episode, we sit down with Dee Dee West, a colon cancer survivor whose journey reshaped not only her life, but her purpose.

Dee Dee takes us back to life before cancer. The routines, the assumptions, and the moments she now looks at differently. She shares how she discovered her cancer, what the diagnostic and treatment process really looked like, and the physical and emotional toll that came with it. We talk candidly about mental health during and after cancer, the realities of survivorship, and how relationships can shift when illness enters the picture.

Beyond survival, Dee Dee has become a powerful voice in colon cancer advocacy, using her platform to educate, raise awareness, and encourage others to listen to their bodies and advocate for their health. Through her advocacy work, she is helping change the narrative around colon cancer .

We also explore how creativity became part of Dee Dee’s healing. She shares how launching her jewelry business allowed her to reconnect with herself, channel meaning into creation, and turn survival into something tangible and beautiful.

This episode is honest, grounding, and deeply human — a reminder that survivorship is not an endpoint, but an ongoing journey of rebuilding, redefining, and reclaiming your life.

Follow Dee Dee’s advocacy journey on Instagram: @colonfluencer

Dee Dee's Etsy Shop:

Sea West Studio