"Found cancer while trying to get pregnant": Juciela shares her overcoming and warns about prevention

The importance of cancer prevention and early diagnosis gained an exciting report during an interview with BnT News on Wednesday (28). The entrepreneur and federal public servant Juciela Ferraz Tibúrcio, who faced advanced stage ovarian cancer when she was only 26 years old, shared her trajectory of treatment, overcoming and motherhood. She will be the speaker of a free event promoted by Ponta Grossa State University (UEPG) on Thursday (29), alluding to Outubro Rosa.

Juciela was living in Ponta Grossa when she was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian adenocarcinoma with metastasis. At the time, the disease was considered difficult to treat, but she managed to overcome the cancer after two surgeries and a year of chemotherapy.

During the interview, Juciela recalled that she discovered the disease while trying to get pregnant. The diagnosis brought not only fear of treatment, but also uncertainty about the realization of the dream of being a mother.

"My dream was to be a mother. Today I can’t be a biological mother, but I became a mother through adoption,” she said.

Currently, Juciela is the mother of a girl of two years and six months. For her, motherhood represents one of the greatest achievements after facing the disease

"I got 35 kilos": Juciela recalls difficulties of treatment

Remembering the treatment period, Juciela said she faced profound physical and emotional changes. In addition to the side effects of chemotherapy, she lost her hair and weighed only 35 pounds.

She pointed out that at the time, there was less information available about cancer treatments, which increased the fear of those receiving the diagnosis.

“I was more afraid to get the news that I was going to do chemotherapy than the cancer diagnosis because I didn’t know what chemotherapy was,” she reported.

The interviewee highlighted that the support of friends and family was fundamental during the treatment. According to her, gestures of affection, companionship and encouragement helped face the most difficult moments.

"Facing cancer is hard. Now imagine facing cancer alone,” she said.

Early diagnosis may increase chances of cure

During the conversation with BnT News, Juciela repeatedly reinforced the need for women to take time to take care of their own health, to make medical consultations and to be attentive to possible signs of changes in the body.

"The more we discover an early diagnosis, the greater the chances of cure," he said.

Early diagnosis is one of the main strategies to improve the possibilities of treatment of various types of cancer. Although examinations and preventive measures vary according to the disease, proper medical evaluation is essential to identify changes and guide the necessary care.

It is important to distinguish prevention from early diagnosis: prevention seeks to reduce the risk of developing the disease, while early detection seeks to identify it in the early stages. The cancer may also have treatment and possibility of cure in some advanced cases, depending on the type and clinical conditions.

Juciela also stressed the importance of combating cancer-related prejudice and misinformation, including among men, who often postpone consultations out of embarrassment or fear.

Free lecture at UEPG will address prevention and self-care

The story of Juciela will be shared on Thursday (29), during the webinar "Signs that save: an open conversation about diagnosis, healing and self-care", promoted by the Pro-Rectorate of People Management (PROGESP) of UEPG.

The meeting is part of the actions of Outubro Rosa and will address prevention, early diagnosis, breast cancer, cervical cancer and the importance of self-care.

During the interview, Juciela thanked the university for the invitation and remembered with affection the period in which she lived in Ponta Grossa. She also said she hopes to use her experience to encourage others to seek medical care and offer support to those facing the disease.

The broadcast will be free and open to the public, through the channel of NUTEAD/UEPG on YouTube, from 9 am.

Service — Webinar Outubro Rosa UEPG

Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026

Hours: 9h

Format: Online and free

Speaker: Juciela Ferraz Tibúrcio

Theme: Signs that save: an open conversation about diagnosis, healing and self-care

Broadcast: Watch the talk on YouTube

"It's important to see the pain of the other," says cancer survivor

At the end of the interview, Juciela left a message not only to people who have been diagnosed with cancer, but also to family and friends who accompany someone during treatment.

"It is important to look at each other with empathy, it is important to see the pain of the other, because it will make a huge difference in the life of the person," he said.

The history of the entrepreneur reinforces the importance of information, medical follow-up and reception during the coping of the disease. More than sharing her experience, Juciela hopes that her story encourages other women not to leave health care for later.

Watch the full video:

 

 

A post shared by 📢 Boca no Trombone Ponta Grossa (@boca.trombone.pontagrossa)