Cancer is a word, not a sentence.

~John Diamond

When someone is told that they have cancer, the whole world changes. Up is down, left is right, black is white. When women hear this diagnosis, numerous feelings and thoughts come flooding in. But, after letting those feelings and thoughts happen, one feeling rises over the others: hope.

Hope that one day, there will be better ways to detect women’s cancers, to have better treatments, and finally, a CURE. The women who are affected by gynecologic cancers: the mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, come together with the hope that our efforts will improve and save lives. And that is why I chose to work with women who have gynecologic cancers. Because this is a sisterhood, one where we come together with hope.

Gynecologic Oncologists have the privilege of working with women who are in one of the most terrifying times of their lives. We help to bring them hope; to show them that there are ways to overcome these fears, and make it to the other side. And every day we can try to make their lives better, in some small way, it is another victory against cancer.

– Elizabeth L. Dickson, MD
Gynecologic Oncology Fellow-In-Training University of Minnesota