While I was preparing for my Cervical Cancer Cause Party, I met some wonderful survivors. One of those survivors was Melissa Wood. I am sharing her story with you and next week, there will be another Survivor Story! Melissa has a website that helps you stay healthy. Be sure to check it out! www.MelissaWood.com

When were you first diagnosed with Cervical cancer or HPV?

I was 24 years old in 1990.  It was Stage 3 Cervical Cancer

What was your Prognosis?

My gynecologist at the time tried to scare me into having chemo and radiation and of course surgery.  She said that if I did those things I would have a good chance of survival.  She was not happy when I refused those treatments and tried to scare me into doing something right then and there.  At the time, I was just beginning my curiosity about alternative and natural medicine; so it was important to me to try some other things first.  I had also struggled with my mother during the last year of her illness and watched her die from chemo…I was not anxious to start this process myself!

When was your last NORMAL pap before being diagnosed?

I’m sure it was the year prior as I have always done yearly exams.

What stage was the cancer or HPV?

Stage 3

What was your treatment plan?

My treatment plan was different than the doctors.  Since I had just buried my mother and had watched her suffer through chemo for a year, I refused chemotherapy treatments.  As stated earlier, I was just beginning to learn about natural and alternative therapies so I went towards that method of healing and did a variety of things; herbal therapies, fasting, etc.  I took 3 months away from the doctors and did my own thing.  In the end, the cancer did not go away, but it did not spread either.  The herbal therapies and fasting strengthened my body and helped my immune system.  I felt in a better place to have surgery.  The surgery was successful and for the first 5 years after my diagnosis, I had pap smears every 6 months.  I have never had a setback and have remained cancer-free to this day.  This experience (and my mother’s illness) catapulted me into alternative medicine and it is the reason I went to school and studied to become a Naturopathic Doctor.

If you are in remission, how long have you been in remission?

20+ years

Did you have the right support? If so from whom?

I had friends that were supportive.

What is something you want to share with other women?

First, if confronted with a diagnosis, to wait and to not act out of fear.  I think it is important to wait one period cycle and do a repeat pap smear, making sure to not use tampons or have intercourse within a week of the repeat test as it is my personal opinion that timing is everything.  I also think it’s important to have another pap smear performed by a completely different laboratory.  It is well documented that mistakes happen all the time; having a secondary lab perform the test and getting the same results will ensure that you’re dealing with accurate information.  Then, be sure to get opinions on treatment options from both physicians and way your decision very carefully.  And lastly, the decision to have treatment and whatever that treatment is, is the woman’s decision alone.  She has to decide what is best for her.  Certainly people in her life can have their opinion about what she should do; but in the end, it is her body and she has a right to do with it what she feels in her best interest.  She shouldn’t feel pressured to do certain therapies that she does not feel comfortable with.