"I was in shock, I could not believe that I was sick. At first I thought, how in the world am I ever going to cope with this? But I found an inner strength that helped me get through it." - Lily

"I got the diagnosis alone. I don't know why I went to an oncologist without a support system. I was three hours away from my family. It was very traumatic." - Anne-Marie

Gynecological cancers include cancers of the: vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, endometrium, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and labia.

Beginning to accept the reality of the diagnosis can be very hard. The meaning of what the doctor has said can take time to sink in.

"With all the information coming at you and all the information not coming at you, you shut down emotionally. It became all foggy. I had to focus only on getting through." - Anne-Marie

You may feel angry or sad about what is happening to you, and anxious about what's coming next. You may also be wondering, 'why me?' Most of all, you will probably be concerned about surviving.

"I felt out of control...I was hanging on a ledge and that if I let go I would just keep falling." - Linda

"I felt really guilty at first. I kept thinking about what I could have done differently, or what I did wrong. But I never did anything that made me deserve cancer - and no woman ever deserves to get cancer." - Carole

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