TOLEDO, Ohio — Two local cervical cancer survivors, are pleading with you to take action before it's too late.
They are joining a ProMedica doctor in an effort to make a difference with prevention and early detection.
It's because the American Cancer Society estimates that almost 14,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed this year.
But the two survivors, are trying to prevent more women from dying from the disease.
Dana Rorke, from Monroe, Michigan said she never thought she'd find herself fighting the cervical cancer
"It was very unexpected. I never would in a million years would have thought that this would have happen to me," said Rorke.
At one point, cervical cancer was known as being one of the most common causes of cancer deaths for women in the US.
"By far the majority of patients that we see, that get referred to us in the Greater Toledo area that have a definitive diagnose of cancer are women that have not been seen, had pelvic exams or pap smears within the last 10 plus years," said Natalie Walkup, a physician assistant with ProMedica Gynecology Oncology.
Rorke is one of those women who developed a mass the size of an apple.
"Knowing what the size of what it was, it could have been prevented years ago. They could have spotted it 13 years ago after my youngest son was born and treated me right then and it wouldn't have gotten so big. I definitely was kicking myself in the butt for not doing that," said Rorke.
Meanwhile Toledo's Rosemary Gonzalez, found out she had the cancer after a regular checkup.
"I didn't have no symptoms or anything. You know so. It's just weird, I found out that happens. I didn't understand why," said Gonzalez.
However, cervical cancer is a highly preventable disease with regular pap smears or the Gardasil vaccine for HPV.
"We now know that the Human Papillomavirus or HPV drives about 96% of cervical cancer in this country. And we can even identify the high-risk sub groups," said Walkup.
But in order to identify the precancerous cells you have to visit the doctor.
Which is why the doctor, Gonzalez and Rorke are asking you to make an appointment before it's too late.
"It's never worth it. We're asking for 15 minutes," said Walkup.
"Just do your checkups because it's nothing to play with," said Gonzalez.
"Please, please make those checkups. No matter if you're scared of the doctors, scared of the outcome whatever it maybe. You get one life, live it to the fullest. No matter what, no matter what it throws at you," added Rorke.
Doctors recommend everyone, male or female get the HPV vaccine. You can be as young as nine or as old as 45 years old to get it.