Encourages Women to Pay Attention
At Celebra Health Festival
Rosario Beltran has a new perspective on life. Like most women she treasures time with her children, yet at age 45 she has had some experiences that few of us could imagine.
Rosario is originally from Mexico and spent many years in Tijuana and San Diego before finally settling down in San Diego. When she was only 21, Rosario felt something unusual had occurred within her body. After talking with doctors, they suggested they conduct several examines so they could discover what was wrong. However, with health insurance and little income she ignored their advice and continued on with her life. Several years later she experienced unusual bleeding during her menstruation cycles that continued for a year. Finally she returned to her doctor and was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Although reluctant and without health insurance she submitted to testing and discovered her cancer with an advanced stage. At the age of 24, Rosario’s doctor recommended a hysterectomy and told her she had one month to live.
Although she was devastated by the news, Rosario didn’t give up and instead got a second opinion. She found a doctor who gave her hope. At her doctor’s suggestion, Rosario underwent a difficult surgery that lasted more than eight hours and diligently followed the recommended treatment. To help take her mind off the cancer she occupied her time knitting, sewing and making flower arrangements.
Having survived the worst, her life has been drastically changed. After being diagnosed with cervical cancer, she lost 80 pounds and completely changed her nutrition habits.
Today Rosario continues to take care of her family and has joined the Celebra La Vida Con Salud health festival and at local clinics to share her story with women in hopes of teaching women how to take preventive measures so as not to endure what she experienced with cervical cancer. She advises women to “Learn to take care of your bodies. It is worthwhile to be exaggerated about your health, than to cry about it later.”
Rosario says that while she may be reaching women with her story of survival, they have touched her too. By helping women prevent cervical cancer for themselves and their daughters she has found new meaning in her own survival.
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