Patti Murillo Casa put in her time with the NYPD. She and her husband (also an NYPD cop) planned to kick back and travel the world after retiring … that’s when the cancer showed up. Patti was diagnosed with stage 2b cervical cancer three months after she retired. It certainly put a dent in her plans, but not in her spirit.
In fact, nine years after being diagnosed with cancer, Patti has become an advocate for other women facing cervical cancer. “Cervical cancer comes from the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a sexually transmitted infection, so that makes it even worse to digest,” Patti says. “When they tell you you have cervical cancer, you become that girl. I really suffered with that stigma, and you shouldn’t, because HPV is a common virus that almost 80% of sexually active people will be affected by.”
She’s using her experience to help other women learn about the disease, and hopefully prevent it. Patti says she hopes her generation is the last to have cervical cancer.
And as for her travel plans? Cancer threw Patti and her husband off a little, but they’ve been getting around as much as they can. “We’re still getting our plans together, but we already started traveling. We’ve gone to Alaska. We’ve gone to Paris … but it’s important for me to advocate.”
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
Patti Murillo Casa put in her time with the NYPD. She and her husband (also an NYPD cop) planned to kick back and travel the world after retiring … that’s when the cancer showed up. Patti was diagnosed with stage 2b cervical cancer three months after she retired. It certainly put a dent in her plans, but not in her spirit.
In fact, nine years after being diagnosed with cancer, Patti has become an advocate for other women facing cervical cancer. “Cervical cancer comes from the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a sexually transmitted infection, so that makes it even worse to digest,” Patti says. “When they tell you you have cervical cancer, you become that girl. I really suffered with that stigma, and you shouldn’t, because HPV is a common virus that almost 80% of sexually active people will be affected by.”
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She’s using her experience to help other women learn about the disease, and hopefully prevent it. Patti says she hopes her generation is the last to have cervical cancer.
And as for her travel plans? Cancer threw Patti and her husband off a little, but they’ve been getting around as much as they can. “We’re still getting our plans together, but we already started traveling. We’ve gone to Alaska. We’ve gone to Paris … but it’s important for me to advocate.”
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
