Trust Your Gut

Early Detection Saves Lives

  • A platform rooted in advocacy, education, and lived experience that is dedicated to raising awareness for stomach cancer and empowering people to advocate for their health.

  • After being diagnosed with stomach precancer at age 27, I learned firsthand how important it is to listen to your body, even when you are dismissed.

    Now, I am on a mission to help others recognize the signs, speak up in medical spaces, and spread awareness about the importance of early detection and self advocacy.

  • How to Use These Resources

    These organizations offer education, support, and advocacy tools. But you are always your best advocate. Use these resources to ask better questions, seek second opinions, and feel empowered in your healthcare journey.

    Stomach Cancer Education & Support

    Advocating for Your Health

    Health Equity & Latinx Health Resources

    Screening & Prevention Information

    • Mayo Clinic
      Easy-to-understand explanations of endoscopies, GI symptoms, and digestive health.

    • Cleveland Clinic
      Digestive health education, symptom checklists, and when to seek further testing.

    Mental & Emotional Support

A light green square with a sunrise illustration, the text "Trust Your Gut," and the tagline "Early Detection Saves Lives," with a purple awareness ribbon at the bottom.

“If my story encourages even one person to ask another question, request another test, or seek a second opinion, then it is worth sharing.”

Read My Story
Medical examination room with a black waiting bench, a desk with medical supplies, framed diagrams of the human digestive system on the wall, and medical equipment.

MY STORY

In October 2023, I went to urgent care for a lingering cough I could not shake. I assumed it was something simple, maybe a stronger inhaler or allergy medication. I never imagined that visit would begin a journey that would change my life.

I was referred to a gastroenterologist after being told I might have acid reflux. At my appointment, the nurse practitioner reviewed my chart, noted my history of chronic asthma, and quickly attributed my cough to my lungs rather than my stomach. My concerns were dismissed. She offered an endoscopy, but it felt more routine than necessary in her eyes.

I almost canceled the procedure. I questioned myself. I wondered if I was overreacting.

But something deep inside told me not to ignore the feeling. I decided to move forward with the endoscopy, just to be sure.

That decision likely saved my life.

The results showed precancerous changes in my stomach lining. Had I ignored my instincts or accepted being dismissed, I might never have known. My doctor later explained that within a few years, those changes could have developed into stomach cancer.

I was stunned. I was 27. I was active. I appeared healthy. Yet stomach cancer is often not detected until it is advanced because the symptoms are subtle and easy to explain away.

That moment changed everything.

I created Trust Your Gut to remind others, especially young people, especially women, and especially Latinx communities, that your voice matters in medical spaces. Your concerns deserve to be taken seriously. Your instincts are not dramatic. They are data.

Too many people are dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told to wait and see. For communities like mine, the risks are even greater due to disparities in access and cultural bias within healthcare systems.

This platform is my response. It is rooted in education, awareness, and advocacy. If my story encourages even one person to ask another question, request another test, or seek a second opinion, then it is worth sharing.

You know your body better than anyone.

Trust your gut.