How One Woman Turned Cancer into a Catalyst for Change

After surviving cervical cancer, Danielle Massi reshaped her life and launched a movement for women's self-care. 

Danielle Massi always prioritized her health. She had regular check-ups, received specialized care when necessary, and visited the dentist regularly. 

"I've always been someone who feels like I should be proactive about my health," she said. "My parents always drilled that into my head." 

So, it was somewhat ironic that it was an unscheduled cancer screening that led to her doctor discovering Danielle had cervical cancer. Danielle was 29 at the time, well within the recommended age range for getting regular screening. But on this occasion, she went in to deal with a troublesome intrauterine device (IUD). 

"I had to go into my doctor's office to get it taken out," she said. "While we were there, she said, 'How about we do a cancer screening while you're here?' So we did, and that was when I got my first abnormal test result."  

How a diagnosis became a turning point 

Danielle was diagnosed with stage I cervical cancer. The diagnosis has been a launching pad for Danielle. She has shifted her priorities from being a private practice psychotherapist and professor to focusing on helping women understand their minds and bodies through her published books, wellness events, and advocacy work around cancer screening. 

"I talk to everyone who will listen about the importance of getting screened," she said. "I am a huge advocate for being proactive about your health and getting regular screening. The earlier you know, the easier it is to intervene." 

Danielle's diagnosis also inspired her to write a book, and she founded the SELF(ISH)philly conference, a Philadelphia event that encourages women to take control of their health, take better care of themselves, and get screened. 

"I want to tell women everywhere to start being selfish, to throw out the idea that it's a good thing to take care of others first," she said. "I want them to think more about themselves and how they feel on a regular basis. Even just waking up and doing a quick body scan and asking themselves questions like, 'How do I feel today? What's happening in my body?'"

Cervical cancer: Prevention and early detection 

Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers that has: 

• A primary cause. Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) causes almost all cervical cancers. 

• Reliable screening tests. A pelvic exam with a HPV test and/or a Pap test are used to help find problems that may or may not be pre-cancer or cancer. 

• Ways to help prevent it. When given on-time, the HPV vaccine can protect children and teens from cervical and five other cancers later in life. Regular screening can also help find pre-cancers and treat them before they turn into cancer. 

When cervical cancer is caught early, as it was with Danielle, the five-year survival rate is 91%. When it has spread to other parts of the body, the 5-year survival rate is only about 20%. 

"Something about my cancer journey that I think is extremely important for people to recognize is that my cancer was caught very early," Danielle said. "I was extremely lucky I was able to catch my cancer at a point that it was easier to treat. This is why I like talking about the importance of screening, because the earlier you catch anything, whether it's pre-cancer or a full-blown diagnosis, the easier it is to treat and the better you're going to be." 

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that in 2026, about 13,490 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed, and about 4,200 women will die from the disease. Due to prevention and screening, cervical cancer death rates have dropped by more than half since the mid-1970s. Black women and Native American women have much higher death rates for cervical cancer than White women.  

Updated screening guideline 

In December 2025, ACS revised its screening guideline for cervical cancer. ACS recommends people with a cervix who are at average risk for cervical cancer begin screening at age 25 and continue to at least age 65. This includes women who have not had their cervix removed, transgender men who retained their cervix, and non-binary people with a cervix. How often screening is done depends on the test that’s used for screening.  

The preferred screening option is primary HPV testing done every 5 years on a cervical sample collected by your health care provider. Other options for cervical cancer screening include: 

• Primary HPV testing done every 3 years on a self-collected cervical sample (collected by you) in a clinic, office, or at home.

• HPV testing combined with a Pap test (called a co-test) done every 5 years by a health care provider. 

• Pap test alone done by a health care provider every 3 years if no other testing is an option.  

Get involved in planning your treatment and care 

Surgery is the most common treatment for cervical cancer, and Danielle underwent several surgical procedures. Since her cancer was found early,  other cancer treatments were not recommended. Danielle encourages anyone diagnosed with cancer to take an active role in making treatment and care decisions. You are a key part of your own care team. Do the research. Ask questions. Be involved. 

"The biggest barrier that I faced during my cancer journey was not knowing that I could ask questions," she said. "I had amazing doctors and a care team that was very focused on getting cancer out of my body, but I didn't recognize that I could ask questions about whether something was necessary or if there were alternate paths to getting better. I wish I had taken a beat during my cancer journey to ask more questions and to feel empowered to do so." 

Danielle turned her emotions and feelings into action. She dove into search engines to find cancer information on the internet.  When she found the ACS website, cancer.org, she knew she had found a source of trusted information. 

"I looked at resources like cancer.org to find out more about what I was experiencing," she said. "I wanted to be very careful about where I looked for information. I definitely recommend that when people are looking for information about cancer, go to places like cancer.org, because there's a lot of information online that can be scary and also inaccurate." 

Cancer 'changed my entire life.’ 

No one wants cancer. But cancer doesn’t discriminate.  Coping with a new cancer diagnosis can be one of the most life-changing events anyone can experience. But for Danielle, the transformative impact of the disease wasn't all bad, she said. 

"My entire life has changed since having cancer," she said. "I would not wish cancer upon my worst enemy – not in a million years. But I'm so glad it happened to me because it changed my entire life. Before I turned 30, the life that I was living was not one that I wanted. I was working as a therapist, teaching, and I was extremely burnt out. I was so tired, and I didn't recognize the toll that my work was taking on me." 

Before cancer, daily life was a 15-hour day, from dropping her children off at day care at 7 a.m. to ending her last client's session at 10 p.m. 

"I never saw my kids and my husband. I never saw my family," Danielle said. "I never took vacations, and I wasn't happy. But I was so bought into this idea that I was helping make other people happy, and that was worth it." 

After years of helping others navigate their emotions, Danielle was faced with having to deal with her own "spectrum of feelings," she said. "At first, I was numb and shocked. Then sadness and then anger. I was so angry that this had happened to me when I do everything right." 

Forming a partnership 

Danielle eventually formed a partnership with ACS and joined ResearcHERS, a unique and groundbreaking program in which women are empowered to raise money for research projects led by women.  

"I wanted a partner that was able to really make things move, to have momentum, to take any money that was donated and do something with it that would create actual change," she said. "Partnering with the American Cancer Society was a dream partnership for me because I feel like I can align with a group that's really focused on creating awareness, getting people screened, which is the first step in stopping cancer and eradicating it."  

A new lease on life 

During her recovery, Danielle took steps to change the course of her life, and as a result, her family members' lives. She quit her therapy practice and turned her attention to herself, her husband Andrew, and their two children. 

For Danielle, success is about being a good mother, coaching soccer games, and taking time to enjoy life. 

"Honestly, I love her passion. Everything that she does, she does wholeheartedly and commits to 150% of her energy and her time,” Andrew Massi said. "Sometimes I say to myself, 'How do you manage to do all the things you're doing?' I mean, there are only 24 hours in a day. I'm just glad that she's with me." 

Resources from ACS: 

Get Screened 

CancerRisk360 Cancer Risk Assessment 

HPV Infection, Testing, and Vaccines 

Screening Tests for Cervical Cancer (with 3-D interactive model) 

News: What Is Self-Collection for Cervical Cancer Screening? 

Cervical Cancer Information