Two-Time Breast Cancer Survivor Beats Cervical Cancer, Too

For many people diagnosed with cancer, leaning on their faith helps carry them through what can be a long and arduous journey. Martha Garrido is one notable example. Over the past 16 years, she has survived cancer not once, not twice, but three different times. She credits her faith – and, of course, her doctors at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute – for getting her through each one.

“I never fret about any medical problems because I always put all my problems in God’s hands,” says the longtime Miami resident, who describes herself as “an average person of Christian belief with strong convictions of faith, family and conservative ideas.” Says Ms. Garrido, “I trust Him to help me cope with everything that comes my way. And He has seen me through every single one.”

Ms. Garrido, 69, was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer twice – first in 2009 and again in 2021. In both cases, her cancer was caught early and she was successfully treated by Grace Wang, M.D., a breast medical oncologist with Miami Cancer Institute.

Routine Pap Test Shows Abnormal Cells

Then, in March 2024, a routine Pap test revealed abnormal cells that were later confirmed to be cervical cancer. “I didn’t have any symptoms,” Ms. Garrido recalls. “It was diagnosed with the Pap test and confirmed by biopsies and ultrasound.”

Ms. Garrido was referred to John Diaz, M.D., chief of gynecologic oncology at Miami Cancer Institute. She was friends with Dr. Diaz’s parents and knew that he was not only one of the top gynecologic oncologists in the field but also leads one of the nation’s largest robotic surgery programs at Baptist Health.

Dr. Diaz says that cervical cancer has “a bimodal age distribution,” with the first peak at ages 30-34 years and the second peak at ages 65-69. Ms. Garrido was 68 when she was diagnosed.

“Ms. Garrido is a breast cancer survivor who was referred for an abnormal Pap smear done actually during her routine well woman visit,” Dr. Diaz notes. “Diagnostic tests and subsequent cervical biopsies confirmed the presence of precancerous cells. I recommended an excisional procedure, which revealed that she had early-stage cervical cancer.”

Treating Early-Stage Cervical Cancer

The preferred treatment for early-stage cervical cancer is a radical hysterectomy, according to Dr. Diaz. Ms. Garrido opted for a robotic-assisted radical hysterectomy via a modified tumor containment technique he helped develop. The minimally invasive procedure involves less pain, shorter hospital stays, faster recovery times, less scarring and a lower risk of infection, Dr. Diaz says.

“This procedure involves removing the uterus, cervix and surrounding tissue to provide an adequate surgical margin,” says Dr. Diaz. “In postmenopausal patients it is also recommended to remove the ovaries, as they provide little to no benefit at this age and may harbor an occult malignancy,” he adds. An evaluation of the pelvic lymph nodes is also performed via a sentinel lymph node algorithm, a technique Dr. Diaz also helped develop.

Her Husband Gets Treated for Colon Cancer at the Same Time

Complicating Ms. Garrido’s situation was the fact that her husband of 46 years, Angel, was diagnosed with colon cancer the same year and was undergoing a seven-month regimen of chemotherapy under the care of Fernando de Zarraga, M.D., an oncologist/hematologist with Miami Cancer Institute.

“It was definitely challenging but it was very helpful that we were both being treated at Miami Cancer Institute and that we were there for each other,” says Ms. Garrido. “Angel is now cancer-free and has fully recovered,” she adds, happily.

As for her own surgery, Ms. Garrido says it went well and she was pleased to learn that she wouldn’t require any additional treatment with either chemotherapy or radiation. She had undergone radiation therapy for her first breast cancer in 2009 but not for her second occurrence in 2021.

“After my surgery, I felt fine within two or three days and I had no postoperative bleeding or pain,” Ms. Garrido says, although she was unable to lift anything more than 10 pounds for a while – a minor inconvenience. Today, according to Dr. Diaz, she has no evidence of disease. “Because her cancer was identified at an early stage, her overall prognosis is excellent,” he says.

The Best Place to Be Treated for Cancer

Ms. Garrido says she was “very impressed” with Dr. Diaz’s demeanor, knowledge and professionalism, as well as the quality of Miami Cancer Institute’s staff and facilities.

“The doctors there are some of the best in the country, and the newest and best treatments are available there. All of the doctors, nurses and staff I encountered during my cancer treatments and my husband’s colon cancer treatment were caring, courteous and professional,” she says. “Their personal and caring attention make it the best place to be treated for cancer.”

Now that she and her husband are both cancer-free, Ms. Garrido says they are ready to resume one of their passions – traveling. “Our last trip, in 2023, was a pilgrimage to Israel – a lifelong dream to visit the Holy Land, birthplace of our savior, Jesus. It was an incredible trip and a real blessing,” she says. Next up is a trip to the Iberian Peninsula. “We plan to go to Spain again and to visit Portugal for the first time.”

Angel and Martha Garrido on their 2023 pilgrimage to Israel to visit the Holy Land

John Diaz, M.D., chief of gynecologic oncology at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute

Grace Wang, M.D., a breast medical oncologist with Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute