Former Miss World contestant Sherika De Armas - who represented Uruguay in 2015 - died at the age of 26 last week fighting cervical cancer. She was undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy for the last two years, reported the New York Post.
Several friends and family of Armas paid tribute to her on social media. “Fly high, little sister. Always and forever,” her brother Mayk’ De Armas said.
The reigning Miss Uruguay Carla Romero mourned Armas' death and said she was “one of the most beautiful women” she had ever met.
In 2015, Armas was one of only six 18-year-olds to compete in Miss World, however, she did not make it to the top 30. During an interview with a local media at that time, Armas had said, “I always wanted to be a model, whether a beauty model, an advertising model or a catwalk model.”
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“I like everything related to fashion and I think that within a beauty pageant, any girl’s dream is to have the opportunity to participate in Miss Universe. I am very happy to be able to live this experience full of challenges,” she added, as quoted by the New York Post.
{{/usCountry}}“I like everything related to fashion and I think that within a beauty pageant, any girl’s dream is to have the opportunity to participate in Miss Universe. I am very happy to be able to live this experience full of challenges,” she added, as quoted by the New York Post.
{{/usCountry}}Apart from modelling, Armas used to sell personal care, makeup, and hair products through the Shey De Armas Beauty Studio.
What is cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer is the growth of cells that start in the cervix - the lower part of the uterus that connects to the genitals. Reportedly, several strains of the human papillomavirus, also called HPV, play a role in causing most cervical cancers.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cervical cancer occurs most often in people older than 30. The disease can be prevented with regular screening and the HPV vaccine.