Written by Our Reader, Jennifer Marion

Welcome to the end of October! I don’t know about you, but this month has flown by. Over the past few years, October has taken on a whole new meaning for me.

Back in May of 2023, I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Stage 3B. It was a scary time for me and my family. We were busy — one daughter graduating high school, another still in high school, and a son in elementary school. I found a lump during a self-exam and assumed it was “nothing.” Thankfully, I’m married to a man who insisted I get it checked.

After a mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy, we heard the words no one ever wants to hear: “You have cancer.”

The next several months were a blur of treatment — four rounds of “red devil” chemo, twelve rounds of Taxol, and in December 2023, a bilateral mastectomy. Then came 33 rounds of radiation. There were days I could do nothing but lie in bed and cry out to Jesus. I felt awful, both physically and emotionally.

During that time, our family adopted the motto One Day at a Time. It was all I could focus on. Today might be hard, but tomorrow will be a new day. I let myself feel the bad days, but I cherished the good ones when they came.

Through it all, the love and support we felt from our community was beyond anything we could have imagined. I had worked at WHHS and volunteered as an administrative assistant for the football team, and the outpouring of kindness from the White House community was incredible. People prayed for us, fed us, held fundraisers, and offered countless acts of kindness. We never felt alone.

When I was first diagnosed, a friend who had walked this same road told me, “Attitude is 90% of the battle.” I’ve held onto that ever since. It’s easy to get discouraged and question why this diagnosis is part of your journey, but I truly believe that prayer and a positive mindset have carried me this far.

I would love to say that I’m a survivor — and I believe one day I will be — but my battle continues. Only a few weeks after finishing radiation, the cancer returned on the opposite side. But you know what? Our community is still showing up for us. We feel it every day in the love, prayers, and encouragement we continue to receive.

If you or someone you love is going through a cancer battle, my advice is this: gravitate toward the good. Whether it’s God, friends, sunshine, or anything that brings you joy — hold on to it. The battle is tough, but it can be won.

In the end, victory will be mine.

Editor's Note: We would like to thank our partners at Simmons Bank for featuring Jennifer's story in their article spotlight.