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The Quick Read
- Inspired by a promise to her late wife Nikki, Cindi Newman confronted a 30-year screening gap rooted in personal trauma and common medical misconceptions.
- Searching for an alternative to the triggering in-clinic exam, Cindi found Teal Health’s at-home self-collection kit which allowed her to screen safely, comfortably, and privately on her own terms.
- The test found high-risk HPV 16 and 18, and allowed doctors to catch and treat severe pre-cancer (CIN 3) and achieve 100% clear margins before cancer could form.
- Cindi’s story shows how at-home self-collection removes clinical anxiety, bridging the gap to compassionate, life-saving care for anyone overdue for a screening.
"Teal saved my life, really... I'm so glad to be alive right now."
For Cindi Newman, those words are not an exaggeration; they are the truth of catching severe cervical pre-cancer just in time. After avoiding gynecological exams for over thirty years, Cindi used Teal’s at-home self-collection kit that intercepted a high-risk HPV infection before it could turn into invasive cervical cancer.
Every September, Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month brings a vital message into the spotlight: early detection saves lives. Cervical cancer is nearly 100% preventable when caught early, yet thousands of people are still diagnosed each year because real physical, emotional, and systemic barriers stand between them and the in-clinic speculum exam.
Cindi’s journey stands as a powerful testament to what becomes possible when we remove the barriers and clinical anxiety, challenge outdated healthcare myths, and make preventive care genuinely accessible to everyone.
A Promise Kept
To understand Cindi’s commitment to her health today, it is important to understand the love that inspired her to act. In August 2023, Cindi lost her wife, Nikki, the great love of her life, to cervical cancer after a grueling year-long battle with chemotherapy and radiation. Nikki’s diagnosis had come at an advanced stage, leaving her with limited treatment options. Before Nikki passed away, she asked Cindi to make a promise: that she would finally focus on her own health.
Processing profound grief forced Cindi to confront the very medical hurdles she had spent decades avoiding. She knew she could not alter the past or change the ending of Nikki's story, but she resolved to make a different choice for herself. Honoring Nikki's memory meant finding a safe way forward through thirty years of fear and bias in the healthcare industry.
Breaking a 30-Year Gap
Cindi's long absence from routine care was far from an act of carelessness. Like many of the nearly 15 million people overdue for cervical cancer screening across the United States, Cindi faced systemic and personal obstacles that felt insurmountable. As a survivor of sexual trauma, traditional clinical pelvic exams involving speculums and stirrups were deeply triggering and terrifying. As Cindi noted, people with a cervix do not need to be forced into stirrups or subjected to that level of discomfort to receive life-saving care.
Compounding that personal trauma was a pervasive myth that LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly lesbians, do not need to worry about HPV or routine screenings. That lack of inclusive education gave Cindi and Nikki a false sense of security for decades. In reality, HPV does not discriminate; anyone with a cervix, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, can be at risk for cervical cancer.
Taking Power Back at Home
Refusing to re-traumatize herself in a traditional clinic setting, Cindi searched for an alternative and discovered Teal Health’s at-home self-collection kit. The experience completely reframed what preventive care could look like. With online scheduling and a virtual consultation, the kit arrived right at her front door, stripping away the friction of waiting rooms and clinical anxiety.
In the safety, privacy, and dignity of her own bathroom, Cindi completed the self-collection entirely on her own terms. She found the Teal Wand simple, gentle, and physically manageable. For the first time in 30 years, taking care of her health felt empowering rather than terrifying. As Cindi reflected, Teal’s at-home screening offered a comfortable, private, and non-invasive approach that proved to be a total game-changer.
From Interception to Clear Margins
When Cindi returned her sample, the laboratory detected high-risk HPV strains 16 and 18—the two strains responsible for roughly 77% of all cervical cancers. More broadly, high-risk HPV is responsible for over 95% of all cervical cancer cases. Teal’s medical team immediately reached out, providing empathetic guidance and seamlessly connecting her with specialists for in-clinic follow-up diagnostic testing.
Follow-up procedures confirmed CIN 3, or severe pre-cancerous dysplasia. CIN 3 indicates that abnormal cervical cell changes have been found due to the persistent HPV infection, placing the patient right on the threshold of cancer, although the cells have not yet broken through the protective layer of the cervix.
Because Teal caught the threat at this critical juncture, surgeons were able to perform a procedure to remove the abnormal tissue before cancer ever developed. Two weeks later, Cindi received her post-operative pathology results: her margins were 100% clear, with absolutely no residual abnormal cells remaining.
As Cindi shared through tears of relief, "I was at CIN 3, which is right before cervical cancer... Teal saved my life, really. I'm so glad to be alive right now."
Taking Action This Month
Teal Health was built to bridge the gap for individuals who feel estranged from traditional healthcare, restoring dignity, safety, and control to the patient. But while at-home screening is a vital lifeline for people facing trauma, anxiety, or systemic barriers, it is truly designed for everyone. Whether you are overdue by 30 years or simply looking for a more comfortable, convenient way to stay on top of your routine health, screening on your own terms makes preventive care accessible for all.
As we observe Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month, it is also important to remember that reproductive health extends beyond cervical care. This awareness month encompasses all gynecological cancers, including ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. While Teal’s at-home kit specifically screens for high-risk HPV and cervical cancer risk, it does not screen for these other conditions. Paying attention to your body, noting persistent symptoms like bloating or pelvic pain, and getting checked by a clinician remain crucial steps for overall gynecological health.
No one should lose a partner, spouse, or friend to a disease we have the tools to prevent. Cindi continues to share her story with a simple hope: that it reaches whoever needs to hear it today, offering a reminder that you aren't alone, that options exist, and that early detection really can change everything.
