You’re young. Just starting a new, uncertain career. A global pandemic is raging. And you’re diagnosed with breast cancer. What do you do? If you’re type-A, go-getter, freelance writer extraordinaire Javacia Harris Bowser, you stay calm and carry on. But you also recognize and soak up the support of a loving husband and the small … Read More
Katie Reifenberg Pinson was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in 2020. She was 38 and surprised, to say the least, as there was no history of breast cancer in her family. Add a raging pandemic to the mix, and she was faced with isolation during treatment instead of an inundation of hands-on help. Despite months … Read More
Cancer has been—and still is—a big part of Susan Reed’s life. It’s a fact that’s hard to reconcile with her easy smile that appears so often and is so freely given to most anyone she encounters. Reed is a cancer survivor. Her husband died of cancer in April 2022. And she’s the Vice President of … Read More
When she received her breast cancer diagnosis, Montgomery native Jannah Bailey took a normal knee-jerk reaction to the news and turned it on its head, finding the strength to fight. But she wasn’t alone. An army of friends and family stood beside her to help. Tell us about your cancer diagnosis and treatment.I had noticed … Read More
In 2018, Carrie Ward and her family were still reeling from her husband’s health issues when the news got worse. She learned she had two different kinds of breast cancer and would require multiple surgeries and treatments. Then, after beating her cancer back, as 2021 ended, Ward learned it had returned. In both battles, her … Read More
As 2007 drew to a close, and Pam Mashburn welcomed a fresh new year, she was on a roll. The small business owner, wife and mom was gearing up for a great 2008. Then, just a few weeks into January, a routine mammogram resulted in some not-great news: breast cancer. With determination, a sense of … Read More
When she was three years old, Betty Ehrlich lost her mother to breast cancer. Today, Betty is herself a three-time cancer survivor. Her daughter Elaine has been by her side through all three struggles. The duo shared what they’ve each learned and how prayer and positive thinking have proven powerful weapons in all of Betty’s … Read More
In 2008, a very healthy and active 48-year-old Beverly Helton, who up until the moment she detected a lump in her breast felt “just fine,” was diagnosed with stage III invasive breast cancer. She beat it. Then, in 2017, she was diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer, and she’s beating that too. Through both journeys, … Read More
I turned 40 years old, so I scheduled my mammogram. I’m very thankful I didn’t wait! Hayden McDonald is a Montgomery native who has spent her life being active and helping others improve their health by doing the same, working as an exercise physiologist with the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Baptist Medical Center South for … Read More
(Jackie is pictured above (left) with co-worker Evelyn.) Love is a great healer! Be generous with it! For more than a decade, Jackie Butler has been a valuable member of the Joy to Life Foundation team, working as its book keeper. But she’s dedicated to far more than keeping the foundation’s finances in order. As … Read More