Project Report
| May 10, 2012
WINGS and Antonia Prepare for Fight With Cancer
By David Horn | Communications Coordinator
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Antonia received an unpleasant surprise when she attended one of WINGS’ cervical cancer screenings in her home town of Ciudad Quetzal in May. She had an abnormal growth on her cervix. At the clinic, WINGS subsidized her same day cryotherapy treatment, which destroys abnormal cellular growth that can lead to cancer . After further tests, however, the diagnosis was bleak. Antonia’s cancer had progressed too far for simple sameday clinical treatments to have an effect, and she would have to begin chemotherapy.
At only 23 years old and with one child, Antonia could not fathom how she had developed her cancer at such a young age, but she is determined to continue fighting it. Thanks to the early detection from the WINGS screening, and continued support through referrals and subsidized care, Antonia is confident that she will be able to beat her cancer.
For more information about WINGS' Cervical Cancer Prevention program, visit http://wingsguate.org/en/whatwedo/cervicalcancer
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Feb 20, 2012
Elizabeth's Cancer is Stopped in its Tracks!
By David Horn | Communications Coordinator
![Routine screenings can save the lives of women]()
Routine screenings can save the lives of women
Elizabeth, a 43 year-old mother of five, recently attended a WINGS cervical cancer screening clinic in her community of Xenocoj, where she tested positive for pre-cancerous cells. It had been four years since her last test because her family had been supporting her through a chronic kidney infection and simply could not afford to take her to be screened. Her eldest son left school when she got sick to support her as a day laborer, but the family still struggles to stay afloat.
Elizabeth’s physical and financial troubles meant that her positive test result came as an even bigger blow to the family. They were very afraid to watch her suffer a second debilitating illness - this time potentially fatal.
WINGS referred her to a specialist for further tests, supporting her financially and emotionally through the process, and it was decided that cryotherapy would be her best option. The treatment that she received ended the threat of cancer, and now Elizabeth is living cancer-free!
For more information about WINGS' Cervical Cancer Prevention program, visit http://wingsguate.org/en/whatwedo/cervicalcancer
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Oct 20, 2011
Monica receives quick and successful treatment
By Natasha Pizzey | Development Officer
Monica, 27, grew up in Guatemala City’s main dump and has never made it out. Today she works there pulling discarded perfumes out from the trash to sell on. Doing this means Monica is just able to feed herself, but has never had enough for health-care. She heard that a WINGS Cervical Cancer clinic was coming to her neighborhood and recalled a Pap-Smear she had years ago with a different organization: she never got the result back. Monica worried she was at risk of having HPV (Human papillomavirus) as she was raped when she was 20 by an unknown man.
She decided to go the WINGS clinic and after some counseling got a Rapid Test for Cervical Cancer where she able to get her result within a minute. Unfortunately, her test revealed abnormal cell growth on her cervix. Monica was very frightened and the cancer was more advanced than WINGS' own Cryotherapy treatment can cure. But our nurse secured her an appointment with a specialist from the National Cancer Institute that same day so Monica began treatment within days. WINGS supported her through this and Monica has since made a great recovery. She is determined to get future checks with WINGS to make sure she stays in the clear.
Without this test, Monica would not have realized she was developing Cervical Cancer until it was too late. In fact, in Guatemala Uterine Cancer is the leading cause of Cancer related deaths in Guatemala even though it is highly treatable if detected early. With your support more women like Monica can get low-cost, reliable and rapid tests and treatment through WINGS.
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