How I Knew I Had Cervical Cancer: One Survivor’s Story
Written by Angela D. Smith
Samantha Gonzales-Russell with the City of Las Vegas official proclamation of January as Cervical Cancer Awareness month. January 2024.
“You have cervical cancer.”
Imagine hearing these words at the age of 27 as a newlywed who is ready to embark on a new phase of the most important relationship in your life. Now imagine hearing this devastating diagnosis, not once, not twice, but three times.
That is what Smantha Gonzales-Russell, a three-time cervical cancer survivor experienced, and YMyHealth is privileged to highlight her health journey during Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, helping millennials understand some of the symptoms, treatments, and impacts of receiving a cervical cancer diagnosis.
According to the American Cancer Society, cervical cancer begins in the cells that line the cervix, which connects the uterus to the vagina. The human papillomavirus, or HPV, causes virtually all cervical cancers.
Almost 14,000 new cases of invasive forms of cervical cancer and 4,300 deaths were estimated in the United States in 2023. And millennials, in particular, should note this form of cancer is most often diagnosed between the ages of 35 and 44. This put Gonzales-Russell’s initial diagnosis eight years earlier than the average.
She shares not only the impacts her bouts with cervical cancer had on her physically, but also mentally and emotionally as she navigated through multiple diagnoses, treatments, and recoveries.
What symptoms or signs led you to get checked out?
First Diagnosis
When asked to describe her symptoms prior to her first cervical cancer diagnosis, the one that stood out the most for Gonzales-Russell was extreme fatigue. “I remember falling asleep at my desk at work and feeling drained no matter how much I slept,” she recalled.
After a few months, when her symptoms were getting “too strong to overlook,” she met with a gynecologic oncologist who confirmed she had a tumor that required a radical hysterectomy, which was performed several weeks later.
Second Diagnosis
During her second bout with cancer, Gonzales-Russell’s symptoms were different; she experienced digestive issues, constipation, frequent urination, and a constant radiating pain in her back and tailbone.
As with her first diagnosis, her second was slow to be reached. At appointments with a gynecological physician’s assistant and a colorectal specialist, Gonzales-Russell’s symptoms were dismissed as being a urinary tract infection and reduced to superficial issues.
“I distinctly remember the specialist actually laughing and telling me I was ‘too young and overly worried,’” Gonzales-Russell said.
Later a trip to the emergency room due to uncontrollable bleeding confirmed her fears. Another tumor was discovered that required surgery the following week. Gonzales-Russell celebrated her 30th birthday and year in treatment that consisted of surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy.
In December of 2019, Gonzales-Russell was declared cancer-free.
Final Diagnosis and COVID-19
However, Gonzales-Russell’s relief was brief, and she received her third cervical cancer diagnosis at the age of 31 in February 2020, just a few months after receiving the “all clear” from her medical team and the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was an extremely terrifying time to be medically vulnerable,” Gonzales-Russell recalled.
After her oncologist confirmed the cancer had returned, she was told there were no more treatment protocols available in Nevada, where she and her husband live. Thankfully, she was able to locate a team in Los Angeles that saved her life with a major operation called a “total pelvic exenteration" removing everything from Gonzales-Russell’s pelvis and abdomen.
Samantha and her husband when she was undergoing treament.
How did the diagnosis and treatment affect your mental health?
According to Mental Health America, receiving a cancer diagnosis is one of the most challenging things a person and his or her loved ones may go through. So, it is common for people to experience feelings of depression, anxiety, and fear. Gonzales-Russell was no exception.
Throughout her life and before diagnosis, Gonzales-Russell dealt with anxiety and depression. Following her diagnosis, cancer “compounded both”.
“I would have panic attacks every day and ultimately sank into a deep depression. I quit my job and my husband and I couldn’t handle life at all. I felt very helpless and alone,” she said.
A year into recovery she also discovered she had post-traumatic stress disorder. This is not uncommon.
In fact, Mental Health America shares that:
It is estimated that up to one-third of people treated for cancer in hospitals have a common mental health condition.
Rates of major depressive disorder are thought to be up to three times higher than in the general population.
Anywhere from 8-24% of people with cancer are also living with depression.
Youth and young adults are at greater risk for depression and other conditions compared to adults with cancer.
When asked how Gonzales-Russell dealt with the mental health challenges she experienced going through treatment and recovery for cervical cancer, she responded, “Therapy was a game changer. Specifically, trauma centered therapy like eye movement, desensitization and reprocessing and somatic therapy (like trauma-informed yoga) were very helpful.”
Mental Health America also notes that “People who get [mental health] treatment, often see improvement in their overall medical condition, are more likely to follow through with medical care, and have a better quality of life.”
How was your emotional health affected?
Emotional health is also affected when a person is diagnosed with a serious disease or illness. Navigating treatment and care options, telling family and friends, informing work, and changes to your physical makeup are just some of the emotional struggles Gonzales-Russell faced.
“It’s a roller coaster. One day, I’m really proud of how far I’ve come. The next day, I’m pained to not be where I want to be,” Gonzales-Russell said.
She lost her job in 2018 after missing too much work when going through treatment and continues to struggle to find a position that offers the flexibility she needs in recovery.
Her self image suffered as her body changed while going through chemotherapy, radiation, and other treatments, leaving her thin, bald, with new scars, and apparatuses that caused her to “stop looking in the mirror.”
The isolation both she and her husband, as her primary caregiver, experienced because of quarantining with a weakened immune system, took its toll as well.
“I’ve lost a lot of people in the past few years,” Gonzales-Russell said. “Cancer has a way of revealing the genuine people meant to be in your life. And as painful as that is, I’m grateful for the clarity.”
To cope, Gonzales-Russell advises starting with honesty and the importance of transparency.
“Being honest and open with myself and my husband is incredibly important. We are truly in this together and need to be on the same page.” She continued, “We’ve always been completely transparent with our feelings going through this experience, and that has helped us understand and support each other.”
Source: National Cancer Institute
What should someone do if they notice potential symptoms?
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) reports that “early on, cervical cancer usually doesn’t have symptoms, making it hard to detect. Symptoms usually begin after the cancer has spread.” This fact almost cost Gonzales-Russell her life.
Preventing cervical cancer involves getting the HPV vaccination and routine cervical cancer screenings. The two most widely available and used screening tests are the Pap smear and HPV tests. “It is important for people with a cervix to have regular screening tests starting in their 20s,” NCI emphasizes.
Gonzales-Russell urges millennials to “trust and advocate for yourself. You know your body, and you are always valid in your health concerns.”
Remember, knowing your family history and tracking symptoms to help you and your healthcare team identify any changes in gynecological health as soon as possible, is key. As with all cancers, early detection increases your chances of survival.
Hear more from Gonzales-Russell on her health journey and message for millennials on YMyHealth’s Instagram Live.
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