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[Text on screen:
Julie DeVillers
Author
Anal cancer patient]

Julia DeVillers: When I called the doctor to tell them about the symptoms I was having, the diagnosis unofficially came back, you have hemorrhoids. They were going to take out the hemorrhoid and be quick, easy, done and done. After the procedure, I remember coming out and my husband was holding my hand. The doctor was holding my other hand, and she looked very serious, and she said, "It's not hemorrhoids, it's cancer." It was the kind of cancer that I hadn't really heard of, and I was diagnosed with anal cancer. When I was in the hospital, I remember thinking, "Well, never write another book again. I'm so sick." Originally, I remember them saying, "Wow, you're doing great." And I said, "I'm not doing great." She said, "I know, but you will be." So I stayed in the hospital. I continued the radiation treatment all the way through. Then I went in for the official checkup and they said, "We have NED," no evidence of disease. So they fixed me. It worked.

[Text on screen:
Syed Hussain, MBBS
Colon and Rectal Surgeon
OSUCCC – James]

Syed Hussain, MBBS: So one of the issues with anal cancer is really the stigma associated with this diagnosis. Anal cancer involves a very private part of our body, and most patients are not comfortable discussing these symptoms amongst friends, family, or even with their physicians. So what happens is a lot of times those symptoms have been there for a long period of time, and because of the stigma, they're never brought up until the disease is already advanced. The screening protocol for anal cancer is extremely effective. It can lead to a risk reduction by almost 60%, which means that more than half of these cancers can be easily prevented if proper screening protocols are followed.

Julia DeVillers: I realized the advocacy for anal cancer awareness and treatment and helping people who are going through it, and survivors, has become really important to me. So once I got back on my feet, I was invited to join the HPV Cancer Alliance because anal cancer is an HPV related cancer. I was invited by the Alliance to come to Washington D.C., because they were stomping on the hill to advocate for more HPV cancerous awareness and to help get a bill through to support awareness and treatment. When I was writing the character's story, I realized I had just been through a cancer ordeal. So writing a character where the mom had cancer ended up being a very important part of the book. There is life after cancer. So if the kids have family members or know somebody going through cancer, hopefully I can give them a little hope and inspiration that you can move on to the next stage of your life and be happy and healthy again.
 
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[Text on screen:
The James
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
For more information, visit: cancer.osu.edu/analcancerclinic