Inspirational Stories

I am Towanna, and I am a lymphoma survivor! I have been in remission for 17 years and counting.

Before I was diagnosed, I was feeling extremely tired. I thought it was from the demands of being a wife at the time, commuting, working, and a mom. It was a sense of tiredness that I had never felt before. One night while sleeping, for some reason my hand went to the border of my armpit and breast tissue. I felt a lump. I immediately woke up and sat in the middle of my bed in shock. I woke up my husband at the time and asked him if he felt what I was feeling. It was pitch dark in our room, but I could see the scared look in his eyes, and then he said, “Yes!” I have always believed it was the grace of God that placed my hand there and woke me up.

I was in the midst of planning my grandmother’s surprise birthday party and didn't want to tell anyone until I knew for sure something was wrong. I did call my primary doctor and made an appointment. During my visit and examination, she had the same look that my ex-husband had in his eyes. She started making me feel nervous. She referred me to an oncologist. I met with him, and he wanted to schedule a biopsy as soon as possible. I decided to have the procedure after my return from the birthday celebration for my grandmother. When we were about to return home, my grandmother could see something was wrong and asked what was wrong. I remember breaking down crying but was so relieved to be able to tell someone what I was going through. She didn't shed not one tear, instead, she prayed for me and spoke words of encouragement to get me through this possible life-changing ordeal.

I had the procedure and received a call from the doctor's office. I arrived by myself, and he told me I needed to call my spouse to be there with me. At this time, I knew in my heart that I had cancer. My husband at the time came to the doctor's office with our two young children, and I heard the heartbreaking news that I had cancer. I never questioned, “Why me?” I just knew I had to survive. My children needed me, and I refused defeat or to have anyone but me raise them. I had another surgery to place a port in my chest. I had four months of chemotherapy treatments and then a one-month break. Then I started a month of radiation treatments five days a week. I lost all of my hair after my second chemo treatment. I always had long hair, so to lose it enhanced my insecurities, to say the least. I was sick every day. Certain smells made me nauseous. I would have my bedroom window open during the winter months to breathe fresh air. During the radiation treatments, my skin was burnt. It was four shades of brown. There would be dead skin in my washcloth, and I would just cry my heart out in the bathroom but would smile and move forward with positive thoughts when I came out. I knew my family would feed off my energy.

After having my final CT scan, I was told that I was in remission. I was also told I would not be able to have any more children. However, a couple of years later, I was pregnant. The baby tested positive for Down syndrome. I eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy with no signs of Down syndrome. It was a false positive test result. I had my miracle baby who is now 15 years old. I still get tested every year and am still cancer-free. This is not just a story, but a testimony! I want to give hope to others. Cancer doesn't always end in death. My experience humbled me, and I feel so blessed.