Angelena Breaks the Silence Around Vulvar Cancer

Three diagnoses. One unwavering voice. 

Angelena’s journey with vulvar cancer spans fifteen years and includes three occurrences of stage 1 squamous cell carcinoma. But beyond the medical procedures and emotional toll, her story is about reclaiming her voice in a world that too often meets gynecologic cancer with silence. 

“I was dazed and confused,” Angelena recalls her initial diagnosis. She didn’t know what the symptoms—chronic itching, sores, and pain—meant until after her first surgery. What followed wasn’t just physical recovery, but emotional isolation. “The stigma of silence made it hard to keep friends,” she reflects. “Now, I’m so vocal that it makes people uncomfortable.” 

Her experience highlights the urgent need for open conversation, accessible information, and community support, especially for women with lesser-known gynecologic cancers. “I don’t think any vulvectomy patients can ever be the same. It takes your feminine identity, your sexuality, your relationships. The traumatized feelings don’t go away,” she notes. 

Today, Angelena is using her voice to help others. She’s mentoring another woman going through a similar experience, an act of solidarity that can mean everything when facing a lonely diagnosis. 

As the Foundation for Women’s Cancer prepares for the Race to End Women’s Cancer this September, stories like Angelena’s remind us that the race is not just on the track—it’s in every conversation that breaks silence, every woman who finds her voice, and every effort to raise awareness.