I’ve been committed to advocating for women’s health and telling my story for many years now. I’ve experienced more than my fair share of gynecological challenges, from fibroids to challenges with fertility. Being diagnosed with vulvar melanoma last year just felt like the icing on the cake.

But if this had to happen to someone, it feels like it had to be me. And that’s because I refuse to be uncomfortable talking about women’s health and gynecological issues. I want to break stigma and raise awareness, to give back and support other women. Sharing my story is how I do that. It’s taken a lot of recovery and healing for me to get to this point, though.

Healing from my vulvectomy surgery was extremely painful, but what was surprisingly tough was the emotional recovery. I was so angry. After all the gynecological issues I’d already had, to have another made me feel like I was being punished. The vulva represents motherhood, sensuality, and femininity. To have that be physically changed was so difficult to process. I had some really challenging days – days when I didn’t want to get out of bed.

I’m grateful for the supports I had available, and that includes Look Good Feel Better (LGFB). Both of my parents are cancer survivors as well, and when my mom was going through her breast cancer treatment, one thing she always said was, “Look good, feel better.” She really believed in that. And the LGFB program was such a lifeline for me personally, too. It really turned things around for me when I was so low, so angry, and dealing with a lot of negative self-talk.

I felt so seen at the workshop. It was a beautiful community. The kindness and positive energy in that room were overwhelming – I was deeply moved. The volunteers were wonderful, the kit was amazing, but what really impacted me was seeing different women at all stages of their cancer journeys and just feeling extremely supported. I was worried that we’d all sit around crying about what we were going through, but it was the opposite of that – warm and upbeat instead of sad or solemn. And I left that day all done up and feeling like a million bucks. 

I also attended LGFB’s Bubbles & Brunch fundraiser with my family and friends, which was incredible. It was a really great day. My husband and brother were both fabulously decked out for the cowboy theme – my brother wore a white cowboy hat and we joined the DJ on stage at one point. I cried happy tears so many times that day because I felt so fortunate to have all my friends who have supported me through all of this rallying around me. 

I’ve been so lucky, so privileged on my journey. I was able to get time off work to have procedures done. I live close to excellent hospitals like Princess Margaret – I don’t have to make a big journey and pay for a hotel like so many do. I was able to get really good care, but so many people fall through the cracks.

Women’s health is so underfunded and neglected. There’s still so much stigma. And the injustice of the lack of access makes me really angry. Even accessing period products is so difficult if you’re unhoused or live in a northern community. And when it comes to gynecological cancers, we need to advocate for more self-examination and early detection. These things are incredibly important.

I feel like me getting vulvar melanoma happened for a reason: to help spread awareness. I’m not ashamed of my diagnosis or of what I’ve been through. We have to get comfortable talking about these things. Our lives depend on it.

Sarah’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahelizabethclare/

I’m someone who has always been comfortable behind the scenes. In my career, I design corporate learning programs – I’m not the one leading the classroom. I like to be in the background, building the curriculum – creating change and quietly shaping experiences for others.

When I got breast cancer at 27, things changed. Suddenly, I couldn’t hide. Not from the diagnosis. Not from the mirror. Not from the fear.

I had to push for the diagnosis. I had a lump but was told it was probably nothing. I insisted on testing. When I got the news, my fiancé David – now my husband – and I were just completely shocked and devastated. I’d been living in this grey area of uncertainty prior to the diagnosis, and suddenly everything became very black and white. I searched desperately for someone like me – someone in their 20s, newly diagnosed, terrified and dealing with this cancer that has the stigma of being an old woman’s cancer. I kept scrolling on social media, hoping to find her, hoping to relate to someone. But I couldn’t. I felt so isolated, like I was the only one going through this.

When I finished chemo, I decided to become the advocate that I’d searched for so fervently. I wanted to create a community for other young people who are facing or have faced the same thing. I surprised myself by coming out from behind the scenes and putting myself in the spotlight. I opened TikTok. I turned the camera on. And I started filming.

On my TikTok account (@natorrico), I share what life after treatment is like – and what healing and thriving can look like. Creating this content is very healing. It’s very soft. I show my day-to-day life: relaxing nature walks with David and our miniature dachshund, Ozzie; tending to my houseplants; making nourishing, nutritious food; brewing the perfect cup of coffee; watching the sun pour in the window. There’s a lot of intentional self-care and romanticizing my routine. When I was going through my treatment, I wished that there was something like this, someone like me out there. I hope I can give comfort to someone else feeling anxious and wondering what their life will look like once they get through cancer. I want to show what’s possible, what’s next. There’s a lack of this type of space in the post-cancer experience. My goal this year is to become a breast cancer advocate – not just for myself, but for other women as well.

Breast cancer is so intense. It changed my identity – and deeply affected my confidence. I felt like my womanhood was being taken away. I wondered whether I’d still be able to have kids some day. And I would look at myself in the mirror and think, “Who am I?” I had always been Blonde Natalia, Natalia Who’s Always Running and Exercising – that’s who I am, or who I was – but I couldn’t be that person anymore. Things needed to change. I had to rewrite the narrative.

Look Good Feel Better supported me on this journey. The organization showed me the power of advocacy and community. It helped give me the courage to put myself in the spotlight – visible, vocal, and vulnerable – so that I, too, can support others.

Post-cancer Natalia is a very different person from pre-cancer Natalia. I know who I am now and what I want. After gathering up the courage to advocate for myself and speak up, I’ve really found my voice. I’m more independent, more confident, and better able to prioritize what’s truly important to me. I’m letting my natural red hair grow back – no more blonde. Getting cancer in one’s 20s is certainly not something I’d wish on anyone. It was a devastating experience for me. But there are good things that can come out of these situations, and I’m really embracing those good things now. I’ve come out of it learning just how strong and resilient I am, and I couldn’t be prouder of myself.

Natalia’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natorrico

Psychosocial Support

Look Good Feel Better is here for you with emotional, social and practical supports and resources.

Returning to Work

Returning to work after cancer can bring both hope and challenges. This workshop, led by experts in vocational rehabilitation, offers practical strategies, self-advocacy tools, and supportive guidance to help you prepare, build confidence, and create a plan that works for you.

This session is available online.

Join us!

• This workshop delivered online with in English with live French translation.
• It is roughly an hour and fifteen (1:15) minutes in length and is delivered over Zoom.
• Be sure to add your questions on the registration form.

Ready to register?

Who should attend this workshop?

• Individuals undergoing treatment, post-treatment, or living with cancer and considering returning to work.
• Anyone interested in the impact of cancer on work, regardless of the stage of the disease.