West Point resident’s ‘warrior spirit’ tackles breast cancer three times
In her role as regional community development manager for the American Cancer Society, Jennifer James has detected something in the breast cancer survivors she works with that is hard to quantify, but always present.
“Cancer is a scary thing,” James said. “But I think what it does, for all the bad and negative things that are part of it, is brings something up from within you, a spirit that says, ‘I’m going to whip this.’ It’s a warrior spirit. They all have it.”
Among the women James works with, there is no greater warrior than Josetta Jefferson.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Mississippi State’s Nikki McCray-Penson carries on her mother’s spirit in shared bouts with breast cancer
Each October, Mississippi State head women’s basketball coach Nikki McCray-Penson thinks back to the Sundays of her youth.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Columbus woman ‘never scared’ during her bout with cancer, surgery
After two decades working at Golden Triangle Radiology, Lee Hackett is used to being in close proximity to other people’s breast cancer diagnoses.
But she never expected to receive her own diagnosis, she said, until it happened 10 years ago when she was 54.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Early detection helps Columbus woman weather breast cancer without chemo
Tee Pittman remembers the day all too well.
After a regular check up with her obstetrician gynecologist in May 2003, Pittman was pestered by her doctor about getting a mammogram. That very same day, if possible.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Columbus nurse practitioner beats cancer with upbeat, tenacious attitude
Jeana Whitacre dreaded the “Red Devil.”
During the summer of 2019, she sat on her chemotherapy chair in Birmingham, Alabama, and watched as the nurse slowly pushed the bright-red Adriamycin fluid — nicknamed “Red Devil” — into her veins.
“When they got it out to put in my IV,” she said, “I was like, ‘Oh, here we go.'”
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: ‘You meet a lot of people along the way who inspire you’
Carolyn Abadie considered skipping her yearly mammogram 11 years ago. She didn’t, and it made a difference.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Oak Hill Academy rallies behind teacher during her treatment
When Katie Ballard had to schedule a follow-up appointment after a routine mammogram in July 2018, she thought there must have been something wrong with the machine.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: ‘It’s not over when the treatment ends’
When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in Columbus, her doctor can advise her to read all the printed materials on the side effects for all the treatments and medications that will become a part of her life.
Or, for simplicity’s sake, the doctor can just point to Alice Chain
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: McGill overcomes her fears, mounts successful battle against breast cancer
Edna McGill began chemotherapy to treat breast cancer on her 60th birthday, in July 2014.
It would prove to be 100-percent effective.
That didn’t mean her battle with breast cancer was over, McGill explained from her home in Columbus Thursday.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: ‘Know your body’
When lifelong Columbus resident Laverne Greene-Leech learned she had breast cancer and would need surgery followed by months of chemotherapy, she went to the store and bought some wigs and colorful scarves to wrap around her head.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: A pioneer in cancer treatment
On Monday, OCH Regional Medical Center opened its new Breast Health and Imaging Center near the hospital with a ceremony dedicating the facility to a doctor who hasn’t seen a patient in almost seven years.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: ‘Victorious, not victims’
Betty Powers was sitting under a hair dryer in a beauty salon on Valentine’s Day when her daughter, Angie McKinney, called and said she had stage three breast cancer.
Powers, who is currently battling lymphoma, stayed strong for her daughter until the phone call ended. Powers remembered her chemotherapy and treatment, but thinking of her daughter going through a similar battle felt more difficult.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: An advocate for being proactive
Robyn Havard was sure she’d never get breast cancer.
As far as she knew in 2007, she had no family history of breast cancer. She always expected heart disease to be her primary concern and was so unworried about cancer she said she ignored advice to get mammograms.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: A sudden family history
For Starkville resident Barbara Norman, a “family history” of breast cancer developed suddenly and with devastating consequences.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Living life in pink
On June 14, 2014, Linda Young woke up as “just another single mom” starting her day — but she didn’t realize that day would be the one to change her life forever.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Fighting ‘The Big C’ with vitamin C
Two years ago, Agnes Carino sat in the office of her oncologist and listened to a grim prediction of what would happen if she did not agree to begin chemotherapy treatment for her Stage 4 cancer.
A month to mark: National Breast Cancer Awareness Month takes on special meaning for many
Susan Doty gets up every morning to do battle with breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Breast cancer survivor says earlier screening saved her life
Marnie Gayle of New Hope is an advocate for early breast screenings. She was just 38 in August 2009 when she had her first mammogram and the doctors found Stage 1 breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Awareness provides dividends in treatment of breast cancer
In his 19-plus years as an oncologist, Dr. Wail Alnas has seen steady advancements in breast cancer treatment.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Choosing Joy
On Good Friday 2015, Columbus resident Shilo Goodman gave her 15-year-old son a hug and noticed what felt like a knot in her chest.