Midlife: 5 Gynecologic Cancers — Symptoms Women Shouldn’t Ignore

0:00 SPEAKER_01: Hi you guys! Welcome back to WTF. Welcome back to our podcast. We're so excited to have another awesome episode for you guys. Today is a very important episode. We are talking about gyneological cancer awareness, also known as GYN Cancer. It's GYN Cancer Awareness Month. And there is so much we do not know that we have been learning from our guest, Heather. She'll introduce herself here in a second. And we are just excited to have her and really just uh raise awareness this month and find out some more because I didn't even know there were five gyneological cancers.

0:44 SPEAKER_01: So we're gonna talk about that and I'm gonna let Hill do a little disclaimer and then we're gonna introduce Heather. So we're happy to have you guys here. So yeah, so excited, so excited to have Heather.

0:55 SPEAKER_02: So just a little disclaimer on our episode, just because it's specific to medical, is we are not doctors. Heather is sharing her experience as a survivor and information she has learned through her advocacy. Advocacy. This is where it's been a long, it's been a long month, and actually it's a new one, right? So we just started. This conversation is for awareness and education, not diagnosis or medical advice. If something feels different or concerning, please talk to your healthcare provider. So, Heather, welcome.

1:28 SPEAKER_02: Thank you for coming on. Yay! Thank you so much. Just give us a little introduction, a little bit of background about you, and then we have a whole host of questions that we're gonna be going through.

1:41 SPEAKER_00: Okay, so my name is Heather. Um, I first got involved with this when I was diagnosed and back in 2013. It was a huge shock. Um, actually, completely not expected at all. They found something during my annual. Um, my nurse practitioner thought that it should be biopsied based off of a lot of other medical issues I have because I tend not to be the norm. Uh, she thought it would be benign, and it was not. So yeah, it was it was very shocking.

2:21 SPEAKER_02: So that's so you went in quickly for like your like an annual exam kind of an idea. Yeah. And then this they then saw something that concerned them, took a biography. What was the time frame between them saying we're concerned, we're taking this sort of we're sending it off to the lab, to you finding out or getting a phone call saying, Hey, we've got a larger concern?

2:44 SPEAKER_00: There was there was a a little bit of time. So I went for my annual, she went through the annual, she told me after that she saw something, and she's like, I'm gonna be straight up honest with you. She's like, a normal person, we probably would not biopsy this. Like 98%, 97, 98, normally benign, it's nothing. But she's like, with all your other health issues, I'm I'm gonna push for this to be biopsied. So the GYN gave it a look, they biopsied it. I actually went back a week later because I was having some symptoms, some burning and stuff.

3:26 SPEAKER_00: I figured maybe it was from having, you know, the biopsy. Um and uh they actually had my results back that day. And it was really weird because I I knew the nurse practitioner pretty well, you know. It we had a very good relationship, and I could tell something was off with her. And she took me through the whole appointment, and at the end, she was like, We got your results back, and I got it. I I just felt that pit in my stomach when I looked at her, and I was like, Yeah, I have cancer, don't I?

4:07 SPEAKER_00: And she's like, and she put her head down, and she was like, Yes, I am so sorry. And I I don't I don't really know what happened. I think that I maybe like went into shock. I don't know. Um it's like you're trying you hear those words and you're trying to process so much, like what's gonna happen now, you know, what's gonna happen to my body, like you're like kind of a little bit of like, oh my god, you know, so um, and actually, I'm sorry, go ahead.

4:49 SPEAKER_01: Well, I feel I was just gonna say, like, you know, when she said to you, you know, normally maybe we wouldn't biopsy because it's not you know, but it's because it's you and you've had some medical, prior medical issues, we're gonna go ahead and do it.

5:04 SPEAKER_00: For sure.

5:05 SPEAKER_01: That makes me kind of nervous because I'm thinking, you know, would it have just, if it was me, would it have just, you know, kept growing? And then then, of course, you know, it's too late or whatever the, you know, that's that's kind of wild, which is part of why I think um, like you said, you went back because you still felt something funky.

5:23 SPEAKER_00: Did you have any symptoms before like you just were going in for your annual, nothing funky was and that's you know, and I feel like that's kind of the scary part about a lot of GYN cancers is there's not a you know, with GYN cancers, there's a lot of overlapping with symptoms, but there it they could be so many other things. Like a lot of it is, you know, you have maybe have abnormal bleeding, bleeding in between your period, maybe some bloating, you know, burning when you urinate, uh frequency.

6:04 SPEAKER_00: I mean, those could be so many things, you know. Um, I think the one that's about is probably vulgar because you have sometimes some skin changes, but otherwise, you know, it is very scary because I think about that often, and it's how like oh sorry, on your on your like body or on your discolored, it may be um kind of bumpy, like almost feel like more uh I mean, we're getting down to the nitty-gritty now, ladies, but like more um more like bumpy, you know. So like I feel like you have to you if any if this has taught me anything and it's like sometimes I even get embarrassed with my own stuff, it's like, but you gotta just you gotta just talk about it, you know, whether it's your friends, whether it's you you gotta be comfortable with your doctors.

7:03 SPEAKER_00: I mean, I've learned so much through this, it's it's really crazy.

7:10 SPEAKER_02: Exactly. Yeah, yeah. Well, we all have the women, we have the same parts. And the fact that we we were actually had this conversation on our last episode with Sarah Ryan, who's a sex therapist, that in America, women, and I'm gonna speak for let's say myself, my daughters, we are not educated in like if I said to them, name all of your pieces and explain to me exactly where they are, I honestly don't know if they could tell me. Right. And I couldn't, if you showed me a diagram, I probably couldn't say exactly where everything is because we just weren't educated that way.

7:46 SPEAKER_03: Right.

7:47 SPEAKER_02: I want to go back to really quickly when you heard this, let's say that's it's cancer. Yeah, are they in that moment telling you what kind of cancer it is?

7:57 SPEAKER_00: So do they already know exactly what we had the initial biopsy? Got that back, and it actually I this is where I have to give serious props to my nurse practitioner who is now retired, and it like devastates me because she really saved my life. It was a very rare type. Um it's typically not found like higher up in the cervix. So I had like on the border, just to keep this so it doesn't get like too crazy for people and they're not like oh trying to like picture. So like it was higher up, closer to like the lower part of um your uterus.

8:45 SPEAKER_00: So I so when I went for the more the bigger biopsy, we'll just call it the cone biopsy, it went outside the margins. And that's when the doctor was like, when I once I went to the oncologist, he said to me, we're definitely gonna have to do you know, radical hysterectomy because it went outside the margins, and odds are it's probably up you know into the lower part of your uterus, which it was. So I I owe her so much because if she had just let that go, or my GYN had just let it go, I don't even know if I'd be here, you know.

9:31 SPEAKER_00: Who knows what would have happened? So I got very, very lucky. I mean, you know, is basically what it boils down to. Yeah.

9:46 SPEAKER_03: Yeah.

9:51 SPEAKER_02: I did they go from you go to that appointment you go to the oncologist? I it's rapid speed, as in your hand.

9:58 SPEAKER_00: I think I maybe went to scheduling surgery going into my e line. It was on like maybe a Wednesday or a Thursday. I she made me promise before I left her office. She's like, please promise me that you're going to call. She's like, This is really, this is serious. And I was like, I hear you. I'm like, can I go now? And she's like, Are you okay? And I'm like, I'm good. I'm like, I just I just want to go, you know? And she's like, No, you know, that's the thing. Nobody was with me. And GYN is about 30 minutes away from me.

10:35 SPEAKER_00: Right. And I was like, how am I driving home? Because I was totally fine. How I did not cry in the office. No clue.

10:52 SPEAKER_00: Yeah, like I I didn't know they had the results that day. I had no idea if I did, I would have brought the results.

10:59 SPEAKER_01: You were going back, right? Because you thought you just had some other funky like pain. So you said you didn't, yeah.

11:10 SPEAKER_02: Yeah. That's actually I mean, I know I haven't, I just Well, that's what happened to Monica. Yeah, she went back. Well, she went back for her husband just waited in the car.

11:21 SPEAKER_01: Right.

11:21 SPEAKER_02: Yeah.

11:22 SPEAKER_01: For her for she he just waited in the car for her to go back in.

11:26 SPEAKER_02: I have to say, when my mom got diagnosed, we were all there. Yeah. So, or maybe it was a follow point, but I feel like I that's surprising, and I don't know the history of like how people tell other people that they've got cancer, but yeah, you would think that they're not just like giving you that view. When I first have been absolutely in shock, right? Right, drive a car, drive a car, yeah, get yourself home.

11:50 SPEAKER_00: And I think definitely there was a little bit of shock because even when my GYN was doing the biopsy, he's like, This is gonna be nothing, you're gonna be fine. And I'll never forget him walking into the room, and he's like, You taught me something, and I was like, What do you mean? And he's like, I will never tell a patient that it's going to be fine ever again. He's like, Because I really truly believed that it was gonna be benign and it wasn't, and I was it's it was it was hard, it was hard. I mean, you know, I think a little bit of me, I was like, I like that I can't even keep repeating the story at 12 years old.

12:43 SPEAKER_00: A ton of other medical issues I've been through a lot, but I don't think anything prepares you for you have cancer, it's just on a whole other level, you know, and I have been through a lot, so it it definitely was it was very jarring, and I think I kind of just went into this, like, okay, we just gotta take care of this mode, you know. Like it just did the I don't know if it was denial, I don't know what it was, but um you know I did I did make her the promise that I would call. I got in to see the oncologist that Monday.

13:27 SPEAKER_00: So I saw her like that Wednesday, Thursday. So I mean I got in very quickly. So I knew with them fitting me in that it was pretty serious. So yeah, I mean it it was it was very jarring in the beginning. I have to say, I mean, and I listen, I'm not gonna zoom this into like me bashing my oncologist. I mean I chose him because I knew he was extremely educated. Uh, he was really good at what he did. And um, you know, in the beginning it was fine. Had a great relationship with him. My first procedure with him, everything was fine.

14:08 SPEAKER_00: I I don't know what happened really after that, uh, but something changed between my appointment with my first like larger biopsy and him telling me that I needed a hysterectomy. His whole attitude changed to the point that I mean again, you know, I I mentioned I've had uh illness, you know, I I've been sick since I was 12. I've never had a doctor disrespect me or talk to me rudely, really, surprisingly, even as a child. But I literally had to sit on my hands, and my mother was actually with me, and she kept, I could feel you know when you can just feel somebody looking at you from like the side of you because I think she thought I was gonna like jump over the desk.

15:06 SPEAKER_00: And I just sat there and I I just said, okay, okay, and everything was just okay. And he was just like a phone call.

15:31 SPEAKER_01: Like a phone call in like matter of fact, and his bedtime manner was just more like rigid, and you needed, you know, we as well.

15:42 SPEAKER_01: Like everything's gonna be okay.

15:44 SPEAKER_00: Like what was uh excuse me? Like okay.

15:52 SPEAKER_00: You know, I did not, and that's something to this day um that I really regret. And I feel very mixed about it because I felt at the moment I was thinking I've already been through one procedure with him, and with all of my other illnesses and things wrong with me, I knew if God forbid something happened to me that he would get me through it, you know. So there was that part.

16:24 SPEAKER_00: Exactly.

16:28 SPEAKER_00: Oh, for sure. More than that. Like I I yeah, I mean, I literally was like I I was I was bored. Like, I, you know, I was like, You trusted his medical wisdom and like how he was.

16:47 SPEAKER_02: Yeah.

16:54 SPEAKER_02: Yeah.

16:58 SPEAKER_02: There was none of that.

17:02 SPEAKER_01: Well, I mean, like you probably, I would assume, wanted him to sit down and say, you know, you're so young, let's talk about your hysterectomy, you're going to need it. But here are the things that come with that. Obviously, having children, those types, yeah. I mean, and and what do they say? You'd rather I'd rather well.

17:22 SPEAKER_00: Yeah, there was no like there was no.

17:33 SPEAKER_01: I would assume you were hoping for that especially a child he didn't have with you.

17:39 SPEAKER_00: You know, which are which are pretty big things for someone who's 36 that has that doesn't have any children. Um, you know, and I always say, I always say to my to my friends, and I don't know if everybody understands this, and I don't want and I it don't mean this really at all in any way, but I always say to people, there's a big difference between choosing not to have children because of whatever reason. I mean, everyone's got a reason, whether it's medical, whether it's just a personal choice, whatever.

18:19 SPEAKER_00: It's different when the choice is taken from you by cancer, you know. Um, and it's something that I had looked into before that I had researched, and something I always tossed back and forth with, but none of it was discussed. I think he just assumed, and you shouldn't assume, you know. Um and my ovaries were left, everything else was taken because he's like, I don't want to throw you in cementopause. He's like, I will uh recommend that you go and get tested for Lynch syndrome. He's like, if you don't have it, he's like, I definitely think you should leave your ovaries, there's benefits, but that was like literally the only thing that was discussed.

19:11 SPEAKER_00: Okay. So basically, and and this is something else that I think a lot of women do not know that personally, I think is very important. So when you talk about GYN cancers, I think there's a lot of women that don't understand that there is really quickly to breast cancer as well. So, like the BROCA gene, like one and two, and Lynch syndrome, they're you know inherited genetic changes. So if you have those, there is a chance, like if you've already had breast cancer, you may be more prone to ovarian cancer.

19:56 SPEAKER_00: If you have the Lynch syndrome, you know, that mutation, you're more prone to uterine, typically endometrial or ovarian. So some people choose to have preventative, you know, measures uh done. I know Angelina Jolie did that because of her mom. I think she had uh some inherited genetic mutations. So like there's there's a whole bunch of things, but um, I did not have that. So that was really the only thing we discussed, was just like, okay, you don't have Lynch syndrome, you don't have that gene, so we're gonna leave your ovaries and everything else is gonna be taken.

20:44 SPEAKER_00: And I said, Well, well, I mean, because I had no idea. I said, Well, will they work? Like, how does this work? You're you're taking my uterus, you're taking my cervix, you're taking everything, um, but you're leaving my ovaries. And he's like, Yeah, we unsuspend them and then we resuspend them. Yeah, there was just so many things. I woke up and I I pride myself in like doing research and knowing about anything medical that I am going through. And I literally woke up and I was like, why am I in so much pain?

21:25 SPEAKER_00: What is happening? I had no idea that I was going to have a catheter because I wasn't gonna be able to get out of bed for a certain amount of time. No clue that I was gonna have a vaginal cuff because when they take your uterus away, you know, there's nothing in between. Your parts would just like fall out. So you were you're sewn up down there, you know. Had no clue. I was like, what is a vaginal cuff? I mean.

22:01 SPEAKER_00: No, it's just true of a hysterectomy in general. It's it's they like sew the whole area, and a lot of times it can m make the area a little bit smaller. So, and it's very you know, there's tons of nerves down there as we all know. Not so comfortable.

22:23 SPEAKER_02: But I knew none of this in general.

22:29 SPEAKER_00: Nope.

22:33 SPEAKER_00: And I didn't think.

22:50 SPEAKER_00: You know, he's like, it'll probably be difficult for you. Straight into like when the surgery is what your muscles are or like basically what's gonna happen. For you, he's like, it'll be a little tough.

23:05 SPEAKER_00: For like maybe a week or two, what's it? You're not supposed to lift anything more than six to eight pounds. Um you know, and and he checked me, like you have checkpoints and everything. Um but there was not a lot of discussion, and it was extreme it just became extremely awkward. I honestly do not know what happened between that first procedure that I had with him and then finding out that I needed the hysterectomy, but it was um, yeah, I d I I mean I should have changed.

23:40 SPEAKER_02: I really should have a looking back, you see advice to anybody. This is true, honestly, for anyone is if you're not feeling like you're in have an open conversation.

24:18 SPEAKER_00: And and you're right, it goes with anything.

24:25 SPEAKER_00: But this is such a gigantic I mean, I don't care what doctor it is.

24:29 SPEAKER_02: I I can't imagine that like you felt so unsupported.

24:33 SPEAKER_00: With something so dramatic about actually part of uh the whole healthcare process, if you're going through something, change doctors. I mean, seriously, like you know, there's other doctors out there. I went the route like, okay, well, I've already had this procedure, I just need to get through this stuff and I'll be done. And there was I didn't think about all of the other stuff that comes with it. Um I really it it really took a huge toll on me emotionally because I pushed everything down, and I really didn't realize until a few years ago when I had some other GIN issues, right?

25:30 SPEAKER_00: And I started working with these two female oncologists who are amazing and explained everything. Um just completely, completely different, even though it wasn't cancer, it still was very traumatic and you know, already had stuff going on down there, like nerve-wise and everything else. So, you know, but they they were amazing, and it made me realize the type of relationship I should have had as opposed to what I did have. When I used to do other events, I would have women come up to me and talk to me about so many different things, and how I would say something at another fundraising event, and how they went and they got tested, and oh my gosh, thank you so much, which is great, you know.

26:26 SPEAKER_00: But um I I think there's a misconception that when you go for your annual, people get confused between a PAP and an HPV test. They're completely different, you know, they're two different tests. I think people merge them together. So I think definitely that there's five GYN cancers. Definitely the five cancers are uterine, ovarian, cervical, vulvar, and vaginal.

27:05 SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's it's I mean it's it's a lot, you know? Yeah.

27:16 SPEAKER_00: No. The only so the only and what are those? The only one that you can be screened for is cervical. And that is through your pap smear, which looks for I was honestly shocked when we put the news to your annual, well, now they've made it two years unless you had high risk or you've had previously. So when you're going for your in a lot of places, I don't know if that's like all for over or that's for cervical. Oh wow, that's that's really scary. But because I mean, in all honesty, I mean, if you're talking about a pap smear, it looks for abnormal or precancerous cervical cells.

28:06 SPEAKER_00: So if they're found, then they can take care of them. You know, if they're pre-cancer, that's even better because they just do a quick, you know, procedure and you're good to go.

28:21 SPEAKER_01: Some doctors say three years even.

28:24 SPEAKER_00: Yeah.

28:29 SPEAKER_00: There are none. There's I mean well, that's the thing, you know, there's no tests. It's it's you know, there's only screening for cervical. So obviously, it's extremely important to know your normal. Um, you know, I I think and obviously just really quick, and again, um the symptoms. How do they test for the other labs? Like urine.

29:04 SPEAKER_00: That's like the biggest kind of like overall five cancer symptoms. But I mean, I can go very quick. I'm not, I don't want to take up like a ton of time going through symptoms, but like for ovarian cancer, a lot of times they call it the silent killer because you don't really know until it's too late, because a lot of the symptoms are very similar to digestive or urinary. Like you might have persistent bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain or pressure. You might feel full quickly, uh difficulty eating, difficulty urinating, you know, changes in bowel habits.

29:49 SPEAKER_00: I mean, that could be anything, you know. It doesn't mean, you know, I don't want women running around thinking, oh my god, now I have, you know, ovarian cancer, but those are some of the symptoms. Right. For vulgar cancer, you might have like itching, burning, pain. You could have a lump, you could have a rash, bleeding. Um, I think I mentioned earlier, you know, changes in the color or appearance of the skin. For vaginal cancer, again, unusual bleeding. There's like a definite theme here. Uh pelvic pain, pain during sex, urinary or bowel changes, or you can have a lump.

30:37 SPEAKER_00: You can have a lump either. I don't know if I said that with vulver also. There's so many symptoms, it gets all like crazy. Uterine has become it's really, I mean, it's like skyrocketed the amount of numbers of uterine cancer. It's really crazy. The biggest is endometrial, which starts in the lining of your uterus, and the biggest thing is abnormal bleeding.

31:39 SPEAKER_02: Okay. Right.

31:43 SPEAKER_02: Right.

31:47 SPEAKER_02: Okay. So that's it for all of them. It is, and that's the thing, is even if let's say it's not cancer, if there's something, and this is true for everything, if something in the body does not feel right, yeah, yeah. And something is not normal in your your average every day, this is when we absolutely cannot put our head in the sand. And we have to seek, and hopefully, it's not something as extreme as cancer. But if there's any changes, or there's bleeding that doesn't stop, or there's pain, that's not normal.

32:17 SPEAKER_02: That is not the normal thing for each.

32:19 SPEAKER_00: I don't want to ask probably the right person that we're like, because my book is always off.

32:25 SPEAKER_01: You know, you said that you've been, you know, sick and for the phones. I'm sorry about that. So I would imagine my daughter has crones, so we're always getting blood work done for her, so I can see holes all the time. So what, you know, if we're talking about bleeding is like uh, you know, really something to be looking out for in between your periods, abnormal bleeding. What is your blood, if what is your blood work saying about all of this? Was it what did you have some normal blood work and they still found it, or was anything funky and off?

33:00 SPEAKER_03: Right.

33:09 SPEAKER_02: Okay, okay, yeah. Yeah, I'd be curious to research that. I would say is that's actually how my mom's and another person that we know was was diagnosed. Was it because her blood work was off? My mom's cancer got found seven years before she would have had symptoms. Okay. Because she had broke, she had fallen off a horse, she had broken her shoulder. If they had healed, and there was something in her blood work that that doctor said, I mean, something was going on. This is breathing. It was like her post white.

33:45 SPEAKER_02: And that led to uh a diagnosis with gyneco. They said what do you say? So it was septically before her behavior probably had a possible actual symptoms.

33:59 SPEAKER_00: So it was called who asks is to know your normal, you know, everybody's body is different. Obviously, have conversations with your friends, you know, uh, and um get to know different, you know, symptoms and different experiences and all of that, it's it's good to know, but you have to be in tune with your own body, you know. Um for sure support groups at all. Like, I went looking for support groups. I was like, you know, the one thing I I think might help me is being around other women and hearing other women talk about their experiences with GYN cancer.

34:57 SPEAKER_00: And it was very shocking for me to find out that they just didn't exist, and I was like, how can this be? So basically we switch into a world where everything is on the computer, everything's gonna be.

35:17 SPEAKER_02: What you're involved in.

35:18 SPEAKER_00: And I found the foundation for women's cancer, and um, while they are not a support group, I mean they still provide it provided me with information that I needed.

35:37 SPEAKER_00: Sure. You know, I just and I also love the fact that they only focus on gynecologic cancers. So like, you know, and then I learned about the race, and I was like, well, this is something that me and my friends and my family, once I'm better and I'm cleared, can do together. And you know, I just I felt really strongly about it, and you know, the research and the education, uh, it's really important. So it really started with looking for some type of support, and then it just kind of took off from there, you know.

36:27 SPEAKER_00: Uh, and then I started with the race, and it's really difficult, it was really hard for me and my friends to get down to Washington DC because of just, you know, a lot of my friends had children, just wasn't possible. So I was like, well, how do I do this? So I formed my own group, and uh my friends are all crazy, you know. I love them to death, but they're they're all in, you know, with I mean, it yeah, they they were like, if we're doing this, we're we're doing it, you know. Like I so basically I had an idea for my team name, I had an idea for my logo, I sketched it out, my husband brought it to life, and um it just yeah, I kind of took off from there.

37:26 SPEAKER_00: It just was I don't know, it's yeah.

37:45 SPEAKER_00: Sure. It's it's called yeah, my my team name is Caring for Your Girly Bits.

37:57 SPEAKER_01: And um, you know, I basically I so aside from my name, the one other thing I want to say is with the foundation, you know, they it they gave me away in the race to end women's women's cancer, and you gave me away with all of our old friends and a group like that then do something is involved in the race to end women's cancer, right?

38:27 SPEAKER_00: And then I had will you share the next through, you know, um and it just was like a way kind of like to give back, you know. Um so I don't know. I mean there's so many things I could say about these, but yeah, and then my name, I just I don't know, it just became this like kind of like affectionate way that my friends and I would uh refer to our parts. I I think they just like were looking for something to make me laugh, and they're like, oh, our girly bits, and I'm like, our what? Like, you know, and it just became this like thing, and I was like, I definitely want that as part of my name, you know.

39:20 SPEAKER_00: So yeah.

39:30 SPEAKER_00: For sure, for sure, yeah, and you know, I I do think it's I mean, my I I my husband finds humor in everything. I do not, but I do think that there is something to be said about that, and with my girlfriends, you know, talking about it, obviously you're gonna discuss with your close friends what you're going through. I mean, sometimes at times yeah, I mean, I you know, I chose caring for your personal I like caring for your really bad kind of things, but I also would be curious.

40:22 SPEAKER_02: It's so easy to talk about it, reference, you know exactly what area of your body.

40:28 SPEAKER_00: What's that for, you know, or it would open the door to talking about gynecologic cancers. And I knew that I wanted the logo to somehow reflect all five cancers. I didn't want to just focus on mine.

40:49 SPEAKER_00: Yeah.

41:09 SPEAKER_02: Yeah.

41:10 SPEAKER_00: Absolutely. I, you know, if there's people who just want to donate, there's people who want to get involved. So there's a 5K, there's a one mile walk, and then in in Washington, DC, if anyone is in that area and actually wants to be part of the actual event.

41:34 SPEAKER_01: I've seen your logo. We also this year have in kind of jumping to the next part, the race, I believe I'm gonna like takeaway of white people for our listeners and someone who wants to participate.

41:51 SPEAKER_00: I would imagine being around energy. Where can we find you? Can we join the early parts of the world? But I've always worked really hard to try and create, you know, between my team shirts and like the wigs and the feather boas and like all the craziness that my friends created, um, which was great, you know, it was amazing. Um, and we had a great time doing the walk every year.

42:30 SPEAKER_00: Right.

42:57 SPEAKER_00: So basically, they're which is, I mean, the SGO is the leading professional organization for doctors and other health care providers who specialize in GYN cancers.

43:15 SPEAKER_02: I want to talk a little bit more because we kind of covered, we glossed over a little bit, was the actual foundation. So the foundation is there and they're raising money, and it's race to end women's cancer, which obviously covers all the GYN cancers. The foundation collects money and tell me all of the money about what they do. Obviously, it's probably research education, but more information on the foundation awareness aimed at improving prevention, early detection, treatment, and outcomes.

43:48 SPEAKER_00: Like a hundred percent. You know, people are like, oh no, some of the money has to go someplace else. And I'm like, no, one hundred percent goes to their research, their education. The classes that they do, they provide awareness, you know, yeah.

44:06 SPEAKER_01: Where does the money go and related to that? Somebody that maybe doesn't have insurance or has a very low income can do funds go to help people like that? I guess I could say, and where could you find out how you could get help?

44:53 SPEAKER_00: This is their thirty-fifth year.

44:59 SPEAKER_00: Yeah.

45:00 SPEAKER_01: Yeah, they asked so yeah, the cause I feel like over the years, you know, we've heard so much about every comment they've had in the past.

45:11 SPEAKER_01: Where does that money really go?

45:16 SPEAKER_01: I just yeah, I wanted to kind of touch on for people. You know, I love that you said it actually does go and the reason right.

45:24 SPEAKER_01: I mean it was research and all that.

45:27 SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think we're talking about foundation, but I think we should just specifically we're talking about year for them for that that following year.

45:47 SPEAKER_00: I wanted to do that. Wow, I saw something. So I mean I had never heard of this foundation. That's why I was like, okay, 35 years. I told my friends, I was like, if we can't get down there, we're doing something local, and I don't care. And it's kind of taken off from there. Like it just started doing my own walk, and I would have a lunch after. And surprisingly, I I was shocked. Like, so many companies were willing to donate, and a lot of the companies are actually owned by women, like MZ Wallace.

46:20 SPEAKER_00: I mean, amazing, they donated so many years. Um a lot of big companies, too. You know, I was like, oh, I'm just gonna send them a letter, and they'll probably say no, but you know, JBL, uh like uh Kendra Scott, uh there were so many, so many. And um, and then so we did like a couple of like paint and sips, then we had this thing at a local um brewery type place. We did a battle of the bartenders, that was a big thing. You know, this was all before COVID, obviously. Things have changed, which really stinks, but yeah, I mean, it you know, I I re I it it's a lot of pressure when you're trying to put something together when you're competing with this like big event that takes place, and you're like, okay, uh one person, but I want to do something and I want it to be fun, but I also want it to be informative, and I want people to understand why we're here, you know.

47:26 SPEAKER_00: So the foundation was really good also about sending me things for my events. They sent me pamphlets and bracelets and pens and things, you know, things to give out, and just so they were really awesome about that. Like I told them what I was doing. I my team was featured back in 2018 because I was virtual before they had the virtual option. So, and they always loved my team because we're crazy, you know? Like we're just we just go I mean, just go, you know, don't put it off. Don't, don't there's nothing that's more important than your health, you know?

48:29 SPEAKER_00: It's it's like about an hour of your time. I mean, I get that everyone has things that are important in their life, but nothing is more important than your health. Because if you don't have your health, you can't do those other things, you know. So I think that's probably the biggest thing. You know, I get that there's some people, especially younger people, that are probably scared to go. You know, they don't know what to expect. And I get that.

48:59 SPEAKER_02: All the information out there, our age that's to kind of sort of wrap this up is they're like, oh my god, personally take it.

49:09 SPEAKER_00: I'd rather it be found and taken care of than not be found in the key takeaways. Having a whole nother conversation, you know, later on. So just just go. That's that's the biggest thing. I mean, you know, yes, it's it's too important not to.

49:31 SPEAKER_02: So yeah.

50:28 SPEAKER_02: Absolutely. I agree.

50:29 SPEAKER_01: Our health is like you said, it's the most important thing.

50:33 SPEAKER_02: It's your health, is your wealth.

50:34 SPEAKER_01: Your health is what I'm trying to say. Health is your health is your is wealth, absolutely, like the most.

50:40 SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so basically, sort of like the main our call to action, and we'll we'll have all of this on our site. We already have the link on our website, it's actually a pop up for you. Is you can join the care for your girly bits, yeah.

50:54 SPEAKER_00: Participate individually, it's create your own team, you can join the team every five minutes or not, just diagnosed with one of these five cancer.

51:07 SPEAKER_00: But I would say first blows my mind and have the conversations why I'm still with your friends. I found this out of daughters.

51:17 SPEAKER_02: Any woman start to normalize having these conversations about early bits because it's something we joke about many, many things our group talks about.

51:29 SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we all are a bit just as crazy. We talk about all sex, all things. And it's like we we do, you know, we touch on some of these things, but yeah.

51:40 SPEAKER_02: But there are people who are yeah, prior and prior, which of course I understand, but just normalizing this part of our bodies and our anatomies is really critical. Absolutely that we stay healthy.

52:19 SPEAKER_00: I I I was floored by that. I mean, I knew the other numbers and you know, the every five minutes a woman is diagnosed in the US. Oh but even that, like the first time I heard that I was five minutes.

52:38 SPEAKER_00: I just didn't even one woman make an appointment.

52:43 SPEAKER_00: We I had a driver. That was my first one at 35. So I'm totally guilty.

52:52 SPEAKER_02: I'm paying attention.

52:55 SPEAKER_02: I was like, I felt healthy when I was.

53:03 SPEAKER_00: But it's dumb.

53:04 SPEAKER_02: You know, I I am part of your statistical.

53:12 SPEAKER_00: But no, I'm trying to do this.

53:14 SPEAKER_02: My friends are like, aren't you done?

53:16 SPEAKER_00: Like, no, hell no, I'm not done because the numbers aren't going up. You know, I hope so.

54:19 SPEAKER_01: That's amazing. That's what we absolutely need in this world are people that have gone through the trenches and to speak up for you know, people that are going to unfortunately come behind you right and not know it yet. So this podcast is going to be uh gold for many, many women. Like you said, every five minutes like crazy.

54:41 SPEAKER_02: That actually really blew my mind. And for women with daughters, like you talk about talk about Heather, thank you so much for coming on. And I'm so yeah, I mean, obviously, you're a friend of mine, you're a personal friend of mine, so so happy that you've moved from survivor to advocate, and you've given us the time and all the information. I know this, I can't imagine how hard this is to even talk about.

55:07 SPEAKER_00: Thank you.

55:08 SPEAKER_02: Every single time you probably do it. So I appreciate you being vulnerable and open with us. Yeah, you have are you are gonna help so many people by get a group together?

55:19 SPEAKER_00: I think some yoga, go get some bike riding, uh, go to the gym and do whatever.

55:26 SPEAKER_01: Your body and feel like something's going on. If you don't like your doctor, switch your doctor. But we are playing with you. It was so lovely to finally meet you after all the stories that I've heard about your friendship with Hillary.

55:41 SPEAKER_01: Or we'll do something all of your information um on our website in the podcast, um in the notes so people can find you online, people can find your team, find the foundation, and then yeah, learn a little bit more because I was just floored by this entire conversation, not knowing a lot as an almost 50-year-old woman. So um, thank you so much. We just love and adore you to pieces. And for sure. We thank everybody for listening, and we will uh see you guys on the next podcast and share this with your friends because it is so important to share this information.

56:28 SPEAKER_00: On the twentieth, right. Thank you for having me.

56:45 SPEAKER_01: That's a great idea. That's a great idea. You don't have to run or be on a treadmill or a staircase. You can just eat be eating lunch with your girlfriends and then do a little walk uh, you know, on the green belt like we have here. So I that's a great idea. So thank you again so much. Um, we're just thrilled to know you and so blessed and happy that you are still on this beautiful earth with us. And um, we are going to get this out to the masses and bless women with a lot of information about gyneological cancer.

57:25 SPEAKER_01: So, thank you so much for being on here.