On February 13th, 2001, I had surgery for colon cancer. I didn't have any treatments. I was very fortunate in that way. The first couple of years I had to visit the cancer clinic for check-ups every three months, now it is only every six months. I feel so relaxed when I go to the clinic; either to see my ostomy nurses or my doctors, everyone from receptionists to volunteers are just wonderful. It feels to me like my home away from home.

- Bernice Thomas




Denise Baker

Denise Baker was a healthy 27 year-old who was looking forward to starting a family with her new husband when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. This was quite a shock for Denise as she had been having yearly pap tests since she was a young woman and showed no symptoms of cervical cancer. I saw Denise at the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer and performed what is called a Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure, more commonly referred to as LEEP. A LEEP is most commonly used when your Pap smear indicates the presence of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix.

LEEP uses a thin wire loop electrode, which is attached to an electrosurgical generator. This generator transmits a painless electrical current that quickly cuts away the affected cervical tissue in the immediate area of the Loop wire. This technique allows me to send the excised tissue to the lab for further evaluation, which ensures that the lesion was completely removed.

Denise is very fortunate that she was routinely screened as this allowed for detection of her cancer very early. This meant she could be treated using the LEEP procedure. Denise also avoided having to consider treatment options such as a hysterectomy, which would have made it impossible for her to carry a child. Today at the age of 30, Denise and her husband are the proud parents of 18 month old Nathan Cory.

Women in Newfoundland and Labrador have one of the highest rates of cervical cancer in the country.

Dr. Lisa Dawson, M.D., FRCSC Gynecological Oncologist, NCTRF