The diagnosis led to surgery, then another, as doctors discovered the cancer had penetrated deeper than expected. Teresa endured both radiation and chemotherapy in the following months. Her cancer, linked to an HPV infection from 15 years prior,
was rare and aggressive—especially for a woman of her age and background. Thankfully, it had not spread to her lymph nodes, and today, she’s a survivor on a mission. Teresa now uses her voice to encourage others to check for unusual symptoms and speak up, no matter how uncomfortable it may feel. “I’d much rather be embarrassed and alive,” she says, “than modest and dead.”