22 years and counting
Friday, April 23, 2010
By: Mary da Costa

As a 22 year cervical cancer survivor, I relay to fight back so my grandaughter won't have to.

I was 27 years old. The phone rang. It was my doctor. His first few words to me were, "You weren't planning on having any more children - were you?" This was a strange comment as I had just had my regular physical and had no symptoms. My life changed from that day. I had heard that wait times for medical treatment were getting longer so I didn't expect the whirlwind of activity from the first doctor visit to the day of surgery 2 weeks later. Here I am today - 22 years later. Very involved with the Coquitlam Relay For Life and proud to have taken part in raising funds to fight against the disease that stole my future children from me but spared my life. I can hardly believe that I am living to see the day when hope for a vaccine to fight cervical cancer has become a reality. It gives me more hope to keep fighting for more cures and treatments, so my grandaughter won't have to!