Mary Taylor never imagined that cervical cancer would have been a problem for her. Mary’s cervical cancer experience began after a routine doctor’s visit. Her doctor found something irregular and referred her to a specialist for follow-up testing. After several pap tests (pap smears) over a period of time, Mary was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Mary describes herself as someone that likes to “nip things in the bud” before they become an issue.
“One thing in life that you cannot buy is good health. You have to take care of yourself. You have to,” she says.
Mary took the same approach when it came to dealing with cervical cancer. Since the cancer had not spread to any other parts of her body, Mary decided to have a hysterectomy to remove the cancer. In her case, she did not need chemotherapy or radiation after surgery like other women do.
During treatment, Mary’s family was her support system. Her husband cooked meals and helped her get around. Her son, finishing grade school at the time, was at an age where he could be helpful too.
Born and raised in St. Louis, this 64 year-old mother of two and grandmother to two, enjoys listening to jazz, reading and sewing.
To find out what you can do to lower your risk of cervical cancer and other diseases, visit www.yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu.
