Understanding Cervical Cancer
- Amy Jordan, beloved fitness guru and business owner, beat a rare and aggressive form of cervical cancer just five months after her diagnosis. Now, reflecting on what her cancer battle taught her, she has two words: Caterpillar Soup.
- In June 2020, just a few months after the Covid-19 pandemic began, Amy, now 46, was diagnosed with neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that can form anywhere in the body.
- Cervical cancer is a type of gynecologic cancer that’s typically detected through a routine Pap smear. During this test, your doctor will collect a sample of cells from your cervix. The cells are then examined under a microscope for abnormalities.
- While it’s unknown what caused Amy’s cancer, it’s known that HPV causes more than 70% of cervical cancer cases.
During a recent interview with fashion industry publication the Daily Front Row, Amy, 46, from Montrose, California, elaborated on what her new post-cancer mantra really means.
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Amy Jordan's Cancer Battle
In June 2020, just a few months after the Covid-19 pandemic began, Amy was diagnosed with neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that can form anywhere in the body.
"The pandemic was in full swing, all ten WundaBar Pilates studios were closed, I was homeschooling a kindergartener and a third-grader, and teaching live streaming classes from my living room for our WundaBar On Demand community," she told the Daily Front Row. "Things were already upside down, and I was arguably the healthiest person around."
"And then, out of nowhere, I was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cervical cancer," she continued. "It was imperative for me to start treatment immediately, and after a second opinion and additional scans I started chemotherapy six days later."
In September 2020, she shared some big news: "My surgery was a huge success!"
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Everything went as well as we hoped," she posted to Instagram on Sept. 30, 2020. "The big news is that all of the cancer was removed and it did not spread at all. Truly grateful for the miracles!"
It was two months later, on Nov. 25, 2020, that Amy shared she was in remission. She did it. She beat cervical cancer.
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"The last five months were an out-of-body experience," she posted to Instagram. "It's hard to believe this is part of my story. I stand today in profound gratitude to be looking back at it on this side. The side where I'm thrilled to be alive, celebrating with my babies and on my way back to being vibrant and strong in body. The support around me was integral to bringing my spirit through this battle."
Amy knows that healing is definitely not linear, as she put it. Two months after being declared cancer-free, she was back in the hospital.
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"I was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago, have had two more surgeries and a cacophony of truly harsh moments through it all in solitary confinement thanks to covid restrictions," she posted to Instagram on Jan. 18, 2021. While scary, she left the hospital still cancer-free.
Reflecting on what it took to beat cervical cancer, Amy told the Daily Front Row that she implemented guided meditation into her routine.
"I knew that my head and heart had to put everything into this fight," she said. "I embraced Western and Eastern approaches to healing and it worked! All of the expected cancer treatments like chemo, surgery, radiation (with an incredible oncologist), and prayer, meditation, breath work, essential oils, vitamins, sunshine, water, and my supportive tribe. It took all of that to beat cancer."
Today, Amy is still cancer-free. Her pilates business, WundaBar, recently celebrated its 10th birthday, and she’s living her best life in sunny Los Angeles, Calif., with her two children: Ryre, 10, and Ella, 8.
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Understanding Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is a type of gynecologic cancer that’s typically detected through a routine Pap smear. During this test, your doctor will collect a sample of cells from your cervix (using a small brush or spatula). The cells are then examined under a microscope for abnormalities, including cancer and changes that could indicate pre-cancer.
While it’s unknown what caused Amy’s cancer, it’s known that the human papillomavirus, or HPV, causes more than 70% of cervical cancer cases.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. In fact, it’s so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get the virus at some point in their lives, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 79 million Americans have HPV.
HPV and Cancer Risk: The Basics
"The vast majority of humans in the U.S., both men and women, will eventually get infected with human papillomavirus," Dr. Allen Ho, director of the Head and Neck Cancer Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet. "The important thing to know about HPV is that there are many different strains, and only a couple of them tend to be more cancer inducing. Probably less than 1 percent of the population who get infected happen to have the cancer-causing virus that, somehow, their immune system fails to clear."
Cervical cancer is unique in that it’s usually preventable with the HPV vaccine. And that’s why those eligible should get vaccinated against HPV, according to SurvivorNet experts.
The vaccine is typically given to children before they are sexually active, as HPV is transmitted through sexual contact.
Why the HPV Vaccine is so Important in Preventing Cancer
"We recommend strongly that children are vaccinated against HPV to prevent cervical cancer, but also to prevent head and neck cancer," Dr. Jessica Geiger, a medical oncologist specializing in head and neck cancer at Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
"Now the key with the vaccine is that you received the vaccine before you ever reach sexual debut or have sexual encounters. So that's why these vaccines are approved for young children ages 9, 10, 11 years old, up to 26,” she added.
Contrary to some detrimental misinformation circulated online, the HPV vaccine is entirely safe. There are virtually no side effects with this vaccine, Dr. Jonathan Berek, director of the Women's Cancer Center at Stanford Medical Center, told SurvivorNet.
It’s "incredibly safe," he added.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.