Breast cancer warriors find shared support in community

This week the Daily American Republic featured seven residents from our area who have fought breast cancer.

This is a project we work on each year for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

The six women and one man shared with us the importance of early detection. They talked about the medical professionals who helped them find life-saving treatment.

And they talked about the ways they stayed strong during the fight of their lives.

For some, it was faith.

“The Lord used all these adverse and hard difficulties to build my faith through these wonderful people,” said Jane Jones, a Naylor teacher who lost her own grandmother to breast cancer.

For others it was family.

Deborah Livingston fought a rare and difficult-to-treat cancer with her husband by her side each step of the way.

For others, it was about seeking out breast cancer survivors who had already faced the same battle.

“You’re overwhelmed with all the information the doctors give you, and you don’t always know what it all means,” said retired educator Brenda Allen. “You need a friend who can walk with you down that road.”

In each unique story, there is a common theme, the support they received from being a part of a community.

We consider ourselves fortunate to live in a community that so often finds ways to support those who need it.

Thank you to everyone who makes the time to provide support for others, in all of the many ways we come together.

Editor’s Note: These stories appeared in the Wednesday print edition of the Daily American Republic and are available online at www.darnews.com .