Tamika and Friends, Inc. is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization designed to raise awareness about cervical cancer and its link to the human papillomavirus (HPV). Through a network of survivors and friends, we provide a forum to discuss the impact and recovery of cervical cancer and also provide informational resources, networking opportunities, and special events to further educate women across the nation. Cervical cancer, which many experts label a silent killer, is linked to HPV, a virus passed from one person to another through intimate genital skin-to-skin contact. At least 80% of sexually active women will have HPV at some point in their lives, and some types of the virus can eventually lead to cervical cancer. In 2008, over 11,000 women will have been diagnosed with the disease and nearly 5,000 will have died, according to the American Cancer Society. Our founder, Tamika Felder, is an eight-year cervical cancer survivor who has committed her life to educating women about cervical cancer and its link to HPV. Doctors diagnosed Tamika at the age of 25 and told her that her best chance for survival would combine a radical hysterectomy with radiation and chemotherapy. Realizing that this treatment would rob her of the chance to bear children, Tamika vowed to share her story and ensure other women never have to make this decision.

Our mission is to raise awareness about cervical cancer and its link to the human papillomavirus through a network of survivors and their friends.

Anyone dealing with HPV or Cervical Cancer, their loved ones, friends and families.

House Parties of fiVe (HPVs)

Tamika and Friends programming began in 2005 with House Parties of fiVe (HPVs). HPVs mix girl talk with lessons that help women become more comfortable discussing their sexual health. Hosts invite at least five of their friends over for the evening or afternoon, and while chatting about love and relationships and playing risqué versions of party games, women learn about HPV and cervical cancer risk factors and symptoms. Because these parties are not meant to be lectures, each host is free to choose her theme, and themes have ranged from poetry to karaoke. At the end of each party, the host encourages guests to share information with family and friends. In addition, many women pledge to visit their gynecologists for Pap tests and/or HPV screenings.

As a result of growth in this program, Tamika and Friends hosts a mega HPV Retreat each year. Hundreds of potential house party hosts attend the event, and Tamika and Friends leaders and advocates for women’s health train them and provide educational resources.

Gift of Giving

In 2006, Tamika & Friends started the Gift of Giving program. Through this program, cervical cancer patients and survivors receive financial gifts based on need. These gifts can cover medical bills, but they also pay for life’s necessities such as groceries. This program is rooted in Tamika’s own experience. During her treatment, friends gave her a $500 gift to help her through the tough financial days. Since her friends would not allow her to pay them back, Tamika paid it forward to another cancer survivor.

Walk to Beat the Clock!

In 2007, Tamika and Friends created a walk to raise awareness of HPV and cervical cancer. The inaugural Walk to Beat the Clock! took place in Washington, D.C. in May 2007. This event was the first walk devoted exclusively to cervical cancer, and participants included survivors, caregivers and women who were still battling the disease. In 2008, Tamika and Friends organized walks in both Washington and New York City and is currently planning the 2009 D.C. and NYC Walks. These annual events celebrate women who have survived, remember those who have lost their battle and support those who are still fighting cervical cancer.

Wear Orange Day

January serves as National Cervical Health Awareness month, and each year, Tamika and Friends proclaims a Wear Orange Day. On this day, volunteers wear orange, the color that symbolizes a healthy cervix. Volunteers pledge to distribute educational material to colleagues, friends and family. This program has been in place the last two years, and the event has spread as far as Egypt.

Personal Assistance

The Tamika and Friends Web site acts a forum for patients, survivors and caregivers. There, they can find survivor stories and communicate directly with Tamika and Friends leaders. Also, Tamika and Friends can put them in touch with social workers who will answer questions and give advice.

Washington, D.C. Walk to Beat the Clock - Saturday, May 16, 2009 - visit http://taf.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=308443 to register.

NYC Walk to Beat the Clock - Saturday, September 19, 2009 - More details to follow!

Tamika Felder is an eight-year cervical cancer survivor who has committed her life to educating women about cervical cancer and its link to HPV. Doctors diagnosed Tamika at the age of 25 and told her that her best chance for survival would combine a radical hysterectomy with radiation and chemotherapy. Realizing that this treatment would rob her of the chance to bear children, Tamika vowed to share her story and ensure other women never have to make this decision.

Now in remission, Tamika is a sought after motivational speaker. She speaks nationally about cervical cancer and HPV in hopes of saving other women from going through what she went through. She has been a community representative for the President’s Cancer Panel and is a survivor spokesperson for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. She founded Tamika and Friends, Inc. in January 2005 as a testament of her unwavering commitment to bringing additional exposure to cervical cancer.

Tamika Felder, CEO and Founder
Angela Cuthbert Mack, Executive Director
Kim Williams, Community Outreach Director
Robin Pace, Board Member/Walk to Beat The Clock Chair
DaNine J. Fleming, Program Director
Monika Ellis, Board Member
Michelle Whitlock, Board Member
Sara Lyle, Board Member
Estelle Whitney, Medical Advisor
Felicia Johnson, Volunteer Coordinator

Merck, Co.

Our organization is comprised of a volunteer board, all of whom have a common link - HPV and cervical cancer. Whether a survivor, friend or family member of a survivor, or someone who has lost someone to cervical cancer, we're all in it because of the personal effect HPV and cervical cancer has had in our lives.