Cervical cancer can be a challenging and isolating ordeal. Mount Sinai provides a program that helps women who are suffering from this disease and allows them to stay positive.

The Woman to Woman program offers mentoring to women undergoing treatment for gynecologic cancer, including cervical cancer, to help them and their families get through this tough time. The program helps empower women to advocate for themselves and offer ongoing emotional support.

Robin Findling and Nancy Irizarry are two survivors of ovarian cancer and are volunteers of the program. They have been helping women through examples of their own personal experiences from their own battles. They volunteered because of their passion to help women suffering from gynecologic cancers and share their experiences to show that these patients are not alone.

“Having gone through such a similar experience, I was drawn to the Woman to Woman program and although it is a huge challenge to help these women, I feel much better for joining the team,” says Findling. “Due to a family history of cancer, I have many stories I can share and use these experiences for a higher purpose.”

Women with cervical cancer tend to visit more frequently so the volunteers get to know them on a more intimate level and form a greater bond. There is a balance between when to speak and when to listen, and the focus is to keep spirits up and remain positive.

“A few issues that patients with cervical cancer usually deal with are burning sensations, bladder issues and radiation therapy, to name a few,” says Ms. Irizarry. “Most of the time, I do not even speak to them about cancer, we usually talk about topics like movies they have seen or restaurants they like.”

The patients however, generally have no reservations discussing sensitive issues about their cervical cancer, and the volunteers keep the lines of communication open for anything. Robin and Nancy, as well as all the volunteers, have made many friendships throughout the years, and the patients appreciate speaking with someone who has gone through these same trials. This gives the patient a personal understanding because the volunteers have been through it. They can ask questions about the (the volunteers’) experience that they wouldn’t normally ask their doctors. These volunteers are here to let women suffering from cervical cancer and other gynecologic cancers know that they do not have to go through this alone.

To date, more than 1,100 women and their families have worked with a Woman to Woman volunteer.

Robin Findling, Volunteer, Woman to Woman

Nancy Irizarry, Volunteer, Woman to Woman

For more information or to watch videos on the Woman to Woman program, click here.