Archives for February 2025

We are excited to close out vaginal and vulvar cancer awareness month with another survivor story from the Teal Diva sisterhood. Melanie graciously let us into her world for just a little bit. Thank you Melanie and all the vaginal and vulvar cancer survivors who are bravely standing up against the stigma of a gynecologic cancer diagnosis, we’re honored to stand with you.

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Teal Diva: Tell us a little bit about yourself, what are your hobbies, what is your favorite thing to do, what’s the coolest thing you’ve done over the past few months?

TD: How did you get connected with Teal Diva?

M: I was introduced to Teal Diva through my oncology team at Novant Health. They truly want to attack cancer from all angles. They realize that being able to spend time with people who are going through or have gone through the same or similar experiences as you but still emit positive energy can have a profound effect on the healing process. Teal Diva provides that healing space. 

TD: Tell us a little bit about your diagnosis.

M: Soooooo…I  had what I thought was a persistent yeast infection. One that I ignored for a little while then attempted to treat myself with over-the-counter meds and home remedies. When that didn’t work I went to my PCP who ruled out a yeast infection and suggested that I make an appointment with my gynecologist. My gynecologist had left the practice so I decided to wait until after the holidays. After the holidays I  got caught up in the hamster wheel of life. It was the week after Mother’s Day 2024 that I was diagnosed with stage 3 vulvar cancer. A cancer I had never heard of, never knew existed.

TD: What was the most challenging thing about your diagnosis?

M: Emotionally the most challenging thing was telling my girls, ages 25 and 13, that I had cancer.  It was extremely hard managing my emotions, fears, and uncertainty while at the same attempting to assuage theirs. Nevertheless,  when I told them “I’m going to kick cancer’s ass!” I  meant it. Physically the most challenging was no doubt the side effects of the chemo regimen and daily radiation. However, the radiation oncology team was amazingly attentive and encouraging. I kept my focus on doing whatever was necessary and reminding myself that what I was going through was temporary. I just had to keep going day by day to reach my end goal. 

TD: What do you want people to know about a vulvar and vaginal cancer diagnosis?

M: First of all, I want people to know that they exist!  There are commercials about lung and prostate cancers. We as females are educated from a young age about how to perform self breast exams. But never had I ever heard even a whisper of vulvar or vaginal cancer. Because of this, I had no idea what to look out for. I assumed I was suffering from an abnormally long “normal” female nuisance.   If I had been aware of the signs and symptoms I would have been more proactive,  been diagnosed earlier, and not have had to undergo such intense treatment. 

TD: How can we Stop the Stigma when it comes to vulvar, vaginal, and gyn cancers?

M: I think what we’re doing now is the way to Stop the Stigma: having open conversations. I am quick to share my testimony, and I  wear bracelets, hats, shirts, etc. to help bring awareness and hopefully start a conversation. 

TD: What’s one thing you’re looking forward to in 2025?

M: THRIVING!

My name is Bryna Freeman and I’m a massage therapist and wellness enthusiast living and working in Lititz, PA. I’ve been a self-employed massage therapist and have been running my business for 17 years, and love helping my clients. I am also a travel advisor on the side, as one of my passions is traveling. Outside of work, I enjoy yoga, working out, dancing, and prioritizing both physical and mental well-being.  I’ve raised my 19-year-old daughter on my own since her birth, and I am proud to see her thriving as a college freshman. Next month I’m celebrating my 59th birthday and my second clear scan by treating myself to a holistic retreat in Mexico. 

I found Teal Diva through a Facebook page for women with vaginal cancer. Someone posted about the upcoming retreat they were having and I applied and was one of 20 very fortunate women to be selected for the retreat in Saluda, NC. This retreat was so incredibly therapeutic for me, and it was the first time I got to talk with another woman who had vaginal cancer. Up until that point, I felt so alone in my diagnosis because it’s so rare and I didn’t know anyone who had vaginal cancer. 

Before getting diagnosed with vaginal cancer, I thought I was perfectly healthy. About 6 months before getting diagnosed, I started having a few symptoms, like abdominal discomfort, weight loss, and discharge. I went to my family doctor twice, about these symptoms, but they brushed them off as other things. I even had a pap test at that time and it came back negative, however, during that test, the doctor completely missed the golf ball-sized tumor because the speculum was apparently pushing it out of the way. One morning I woke up and when I went to the bathroom, there was an enormous amount of blood in the toilet. I immediately knew something was wrong, so I drove myself to urgent care, they sent me to the emergency room, (all this right in the middle of covid), and since I wasn’t still bleeding, all they did was a blood test, told me everything looked fine and that my period “must be trying to come back” and they sent me home. I didn’t think much more about it, but fortunately, the exact same thing happened one week later. This time I called the gynecologist and they told me to come in immediately. That was the first time I heard the word cancer, and that I had a very large tumor in my vagina. From there I was sent to the cancer center and the tests began. I had stage 3 vaginal cancer with metastasis to inguinal lymph nodes. That began my 2 ½ year journey of multiple rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, brachytherapy, and lots of alternative treatments on the side, like intravenous mistletoe and vitamin C, and a drastic change to my diet. I finished my last round of chemotherapy this past May and I am currently receiving infusions every 6 weeks of the immunotherapy, Keytruda.

One of the most challenging things about my diagnosis was that my daughter had just turned 16, and I have been the sole provider for us since she was born. The first thing I said to my oncology doctor when she told me I had cancer was “You need to keep me alive until my daughter graduates high school”. After receiving bad news over and over again, I had to come to terms with the fact that I may not be here to raise my daughter. 

On top of coming to terms with my diagnosis, I also had a business to run. I worked through all of my cancer treatments, giving massages to my clients when I felt absolutely awful, but I had no other choice. 
When women ask me how I knew I had cancer, I always share my story, because if my family doctor had been more thorough, I might have gotten diagnosed earlier, and not then spent 2 more years chasing cancer through my lymphatic system as it continued to spread.  I tell women that if they feel something isn’t right in their body, keep pursuing it, get a second opinion, and trust your instincts. 

When I was told I had vaginal cancer, I didn’t even know that was a type of cancer. I asked the doctor, “Do you mean cervical, uterine, or ovarian?” and that was the first time I learned about vaginal cancer. For some reason, GYN cancers come with a different stigma than other cancers, like breast cancer. I was embarrassed to even tell people what type of cancer I had, (I have no idea why), so when I posted on my Facebook page that I had cancer, I only mentioned that it was a very rare cancer in women. It wasn’t until months later that I realized I needed to be a voice for women and tell my story even if it helps even just one other woman. I hope that by telling our stories and speaking out, without shame, we can remove the stigma of GYN cancers, and work to get as much attention as breast cancer does. 

I’m looking forward to a healthy, happy, and cancer-free year, as the past 3 years have been incredibly stressful. I feel like I can finally take a breath and work at getting my body healthy again, make plans to travel more, and enjoy my friends and family. I often say that in a weird way, I have gratitude for my cancer journey, because it has made me realize what’s truly important in life, and to not stress the small stuff. I will never take a moment of my beautiful life for granted. 

We are excited to introduce you to Natalie, a designer, traveler, therapist, and gyn cancer survivor from the Western North Carolina area hit hard with recent flooding.

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Teal Diva: Just to start tell me a little bit about yourself, where are you from, some hobbies you have, what makes you YOU!  

Natalie: I am from a small town called Bunn, North Carolina. At an early age, I knew I was quite different than those around me. I went to college at Appalachian State and earned my master’s at Chapel Hill. As I went through the mental health training, I realized I was unique. Now we know this “uniqueness” as neurodiversity and ADHD. It was nice to understand these things about myself and begin to repackage them as strengths and superpowers instead of deficits. With the newfound freedom to live life against the grain, I embraced my creativity and began traveling and exploring other cultures around the world. In between jobs, I would go for months at a time, getting lost (and found) in the world. During this time I made friends in Thailand, India, and Nepal. I was inspired by the fluorite and eccentric fabrics I found. I began slowly partnering with others to create. As I built closer relationships with them and their families, I saw their struggles and wanted to help. In 2010 Sabai Sabai was born. It continued as my hobby until I left my career in 2016.

TD: How did you make the transition from being a mental health therapist to a clothing designer? 

N: I am a mental health therapist who went rogue. Combined with my longtime fascination with traveling, connecting with others, and clothing design, I started a company that focuses on slow fashion, and multi-wear use designs. I design my clothing lines each year while traveling around the world to collaborate with small artisans and often feature yearly fundraisers. Sabai is the creative outlet I can pour into while balancing the burnout of an emotionally taxing job as a therapist. Sabai was born out of the need for balance and healing.

TD: What drew you to the creative world and designing?  What inspires you? 

N: When I was young, my grandmother taught me how to sew my own Barbie clothes. I thought it was the coolest thing to create with her. She taught me resourceful creativity. I have always been a creative person. I originally went to college forstudio art. I felt like an art degree was not pragmatic and shifted to social work. Here I am many years later with a balance of both.

TD: Tell us a little bit about your diagnosis.  Where did you find your strength?  What was the hardest?  Did you have a community?  

N: The timing of my diagnosis was tragic. Over the winter of 2020, I was designing my clothing line, excited to return. I felt like I had finally had a good stride with bending events and festivals. I knew which ones were successful, and worth it, and had projected great success for 2020. However, we all know how that went. Actually, at the end of March 2020, I was stuck in Vietnam while the whole world was shutting down. I was able to get the last flight out as the whole world was shutting down. It was a very intense time for me. When I returned home, I continued to experience atypical symptoms. For two years I had had abnormal discharge. Treating me for all types of conditions, none of which put a dent in the issues I was having. It only continued to get worse. I was often dismissed and not taken seriously. I continued to ask questions and was cleared by many health professionals. I continued to persist and demand they send me somewhere else. I ended up in a fertility clinic. And the doctor said they were confused as I told him my story. He asked me if I had a biopsy or transvaginal ultrasound. I had not. He told me those were the first things that he would do. I left that appointment feeling heard, understood, and hopeful. Two days later I had my diagnosis, Stage 2 endocervical cancer. I was diagnosed on June 5  in the middle of a global pandemic. I lived alone during this time, and it was an extremely difficult time in my life. My parents and siblings live far away. Most of my friends were too afraid to be around me for fear of passing something to me. I had a couple of close friends, not able to handle the diagnosis and chose to distance themselves.  My family did show up for me. They drove from far distances quarantined for 14 days prior and took turns staying off and on with me. My first hurdle was a rushed egg harvesting process. I was 38 and was so hopeful to have kids one day.  Egg harvesting was a huge success. We raised enough funds and they collected 44 eggs that are still in storage to this day. The next step was surgery and waiting on the pathology report. Surgery went well and I had a wonderful surgeon. It was interesting staying in the hospital during this time, no visitors were allowed. Only my mother could come during certain hours. Again another lonesome time. After three days, I was released and began my recovery at home. After pathology came through it showed a high LSI, intent for the cancer to travel. This dictated low-dose chemo and 28 sessions of radiation.  Through the fall and into December, I went through my treatments. It ended with a blood transfusion right before Christmas. And 2021 I recovered and regained my strength, spending a lot of time in the garden. My garden was my happy place. I got really into growing Dahlias. The perfection of nature took my mind off of all my losses. Through this time I struggled with HRT and the loss of my fertility. But in 2022 I was ready to rebound. I went back into mental health practice in 2023. I opened my first private practice and began looking for my first retail store.

 TD: How did you get back to designing after your diagnosis? 

N: After my recovery, I initially went back to work as a mental health therapist. At the time, after the covid pandemic, therapy services were in high demand. I was in a new environment, nursing homes. I was still processing my own grief and felt like I had more in common with this population. I feel like my recent battle served them well. However, my creative and exploration thirst was waiting to be quenched. 2021/2022 focused on becoming stronger so that I could travel again.

TD: When did you open your retail store and where is it located?

N: I opened my retail store in December 2023. Location is 32 A Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC 28801. Downtown.

TD: What was that experience like? 

N: It took me almost a year to find the right location. It was a true hunt and labor of love. By the time I found the place, I was so ready. It only took me two weeks to get it prepared and opened. I was so excited! Over the next nine months, we continue to build progress. After surviving our initial winter months, which are noticeably less busy, we begin to thrive in this location! We received so much positive feedback and genuine connections in the store. People loved to hear the stories of the artisans and how the designs were brought to life! We were so successful I was contemplating shifting to a bigger store. I was super proud of our growth in such a short time! The future seemed bright!

TD: Tell us you’re experience between opening your retail store and now.

N: Things seemed bright and that life was turning around for me after years of sadness and hardships. I was working hard in both of my careers and sacrificing a lot to get ahead. I was very proud of my progress and tenacity. Now? Honestly? After the massive flooding and devastation to our area in September 2024, I feel quite defeated. I think if I had more time to regain my footing, I would be able to bounce back a little bit better but I’m struggling. Today I received another grant denial. I’m eligible but there’s not enough money to go around. It seems like a lot of the grants are going to a lottery.

TD: What can people do to help you now? 

N: People can help by shopping online with me, spreading my message, and engaging with my social media posts. Donations are always very helpful. I have a GoFundMe that would help me pay rent and staff during this difficult time. Tourism has not returned to the Ashville area and we are enduring 3 extremely slow months. Another way to help is to refer us to other clothing businesses that match our vibe and might be interested in carrying our clothing!

TD: What are your dreams for the future, for you, for your store, for your designs? 

N: I’m struggling to identify the new dream. I want to go back to what I created, but that’s not looking possible. I’d love to see Sabai thrive online and in other stores across America! I want to see my business not only survive but thrive! 

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A huge thank you to Natalie for sharing her story and passions with our Teal Diva family. If you are interested in helping her and her shop Sabai Sabai, please reach out to her via social media or through her website.

Gwen’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.  A resilient woman from Houston, TX,  she has faced immense physical, emotional, and financial challenges, yet she continues to shine brightly as a beacon of hope.

Diagnosed with stage IVb Cervical Cancer. Gwen has battled through 3 strokes, and 2 mild heart attacks, all while leading the Roy L Jackson Community Outreach Center in memory of her late father who passed from lung cancer. The Roy L Jackson Community Outreach Center provides crucial resources and case management for cancer warriors and survivors. 

Despite facing eviction, the repossession of her car, and a period without health insurance, Gwen never lost sight of her purpose, she had to step down from a job she loved as a case manager at Harmony House Inc. but remained Unwavering in her commitment to supporting others through her non-profit. Gwen’s ability to persevere has been a source of inspiration, and her dedication has earned her 2024 Erica Frazier Stum Living Life with Cancer Award from Cervivor, a recognition she cherishes deeply.  For Gwen, this honor signifies the importance of legacy “Individuals never die  if their name is still spoken.”

Through her work with Cervivor, Gwen has also built meaningful connections with the Founder of GET in Good with Your Health, Lindsay Gullatte-Lee.  Together, they travel, host health fairs/popup shops, and advocate for cervical cancer awareness and HPV vaccines. The founder of Serenity, Courage & Wisdom, Inc. Keesha Carter, a courageous woman, who joins Lindsay and Gwen sometimes on the road. They form a powerful team, known as “We Dem Girlz ” working tirelessly to eliminate Cervical Cancer one state at a time.  Gwen’s strength, faith, and unwavering commitment continue to inspire all she encounters on her journey.

More information about Roy L Jackson Community Outreach Center can be found below