Thursday, October 2, 2014
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B R E A S T C A N C E R AWA R E N E S S M O N T H
GIVING UP NOT AN OPTION
FIGHTING LIKE A GIRL Genetic test helps Collierville mom see “the enemy,” deliver knockout to cancer. Page 9
Fighting cancer a family afair for Southaven woman. Page 13
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Germantown Weekly EDITOR’S NOTE
Weekly turns pink in support We care: Community news is our mission By David Boyd boyd@commercialappeal.com 901-529-2507
KIM ODOM/SPECIAL TO THE WEEKLY
Toni Williams, a Collierville mother of two, was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma breast cancer. She says her children gave her the will to ight the disease. On Oct. 14, Williams will celebrate 12 years of being cancer free.
Delightful DOZEN Toni Williams to celebrate 12 years cancer free Oct. 14
By Kim Odom Special to The Weekly
A
s the director of membership services and special events for Spring Creek Ranch Golf Course, Toni Williams of Collierville spends her days in charge. As an event and wedding planner she has power to change nearly everything and control of the outcome. That wasn’t the case at age 34 when she was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma breast cancer. There was no controlling what came next for Williams. “I felt a lump under my arm on the side of my breast. I put it of … you know at that age you think you’re bulletproof,” said Williams. When she realized the lump wasn’t going away she went to the doctor for a mammogram. “The mammogram showed the possibility that it was more than a cyst,” said Williams. She had a needle biopsy during a follow-up visit.
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ROYAL SURPRISE Disability no barrier for Collierville teen who got her wish to be Homecoming Queen.
A few days later her doctor called her breaking the news that she did indeed have breast cancer. The good news was it was Stage 1 and very treatable. “She told me, it’s early, but we do need to take care of it. It was 2002, the Monday before Thanksgiving when I went in for a lumpectomy. One day after Christmas I began chemo,” said Williams. For Williams it was devastating to accept that she had no control in this situation. As a single mom of two children, Dane Williams, a freshman in high school, and a daughter, Haley Williams, who was in ifth grade at the time, all she could think about was beating the cancer so her children wouldn’t be without a mom. As devastating as it was to know she had cancer, Williams says her children gave her the will to ight the disease. Williams’ daughter, now 23, found a lump in her breast three years ago. “That, as a parent,” said WilSee WILLIAMS, 2
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1 breast cancer last year at age 43. “All the way up to the biopsy, I remember thinking this isn’t me. I’ve never had any problems or anything,” said Carr. “I couldn’t believe it. It was the shock of my life.” The 1.4 cm lump was detected during a routine mammogram in May 2013. After the detection, a biopsy was performed. One week later, Carr got the news that she had breast cancer and her battle began. She and husband,
By Kim Odom Special to The Weekly
MUSTANGS RUN TO WIN
The word cancer isn’t new to Georgetta Roach Carr of Arlington. At age 13, she lost her mother, Jeanetta Cole Roach, to cervical cancer. Her father, George Roach, fought prostate cancer and has been in remission for 12 years. Her aunt, Ruth Cole, is a 38-year breast cancer survivor. Still, Carr says it was a totally shock when she was diagnosed with Stage
Houston’s High School’s varsity football team improves to 6-0 on the season with 40-7 road win at Bartlett. PREP SPORTS, 17
TIGER WALK Tara Oaks held its annual fundraiser to buy new equipment. SCHOOLS, 7 The Commercial Appeal © Copyright 2014
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Georgetta Roach Carr of Arlington said she was totally shocked when she was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer last year. She underwent chemotherapy and radiation and is currently cancer free.
Arlington woman overcomes family history, beats cancer
NEWS, 2
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Thank you for reading your pink edition of the Germantown Weekly. Today’s Weekly is printed on pink newsprint to recognize National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and support local eforts to ight the deadly disease. The Commercial Appeal is donating 5 percent of special advertising revenues from your pink editions to the American Cancer Society Harrah’s Hope Lodge. Perhaps because of the pink edition, this may be the irst time some of you are picking up The Weekly. Let me explain the basic concept behind what we do. The Weekly is illed with community stories and photographs about the neighborhood you live in. We also repackage the best stories, features and sports content from the past week’s The Commercial Appeal, and often include premium content from commercialappeal.com. We try to focus on the people, small businesses, schools, churches, and nonproit and community organizations based in your community. The Weekly is distributed free on Thursdays to almost every household in Germantown. For our home subscribers, last week was the irst time your Weekly was included with your Thursday daily paper. We hope you ind this edition neatly packaged.
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KIM ODOM SPECIAL TO THE WEEKLY
Driscoll Carr, were open and honest with their young daughters, Lauryn Carr, 13, and Madison Carr, 11. “We agreed from the beginning that we would tell them,” explained Carr. The Carr family’s world was turned upside down that day. The entire family
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was scared of the outcome. They relied on their faith throughout every step of the process. “I just decided this is not going to get me. We are not going to repeat history here,” Carr said referring to the loss of her mother See CARR, 2
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