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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2015
DAILY JOURNAL
ADAM ROBISON | BUY AT PHOTOS.DJOURNAL.COM
Patsy Gregory has been cancer free since February 2008.
Patsy Gregory: Survivor
to have a second opinion.” She found a fellowshiptrained surgical oncologist in TUPELO – After Patsy Gre- Jackson, after 24 weeks of gory, leader of small group at chemo in Tupelo and ColumThe Orchard, was diagnosed bus. After her surgery, she with breast cancer in 2007, was told she was cancer free. she continued to wear A month later, Gregory makeup and walk four miles traveled to MD Anderson a day, imagining she was Cancer Research Center in walking out the cancer. Texas, with her husband Bob, “I was going to be healed,” to begin radiation. Her godshe said. “I believed it. I had a daughter and mother-in-law smile on my face, and I had both been treated for looked for people to help. So cancer at the center and had many people helped me in been deemed cancer free. my journey. I always say Gregory’s tumor was 6 cenenjoy the journey.” timeters, in stage three with She found a knot four lymph nodes involved. months after a mammogram, “I thought if the floor and the next day, after she would open up, I would crawl met with a doctor, she was through the floor,” she said. sent to a surgeon. “And the doctor said, ‘No Because she ate healthfully, you’re not. You’re going to no one expected Gregory’s di- concentrate on the fact that agnosis. Breast cancer didn’t the chemo is going to work.’” run in her family. Ultimately, During radiation, she asked she and her family were con- the radiation oncologist how fused and shocked. she could help with other “I could cry right now,” she cancer patients. said, recounting the day she He told her, “You’re already found out she had cancer. giving back because I’m writ“It’s really hard when you ing a new book on the way don’t feel bad. You don’t feel we do radiation. And I’m like anything is wrong, and all using the way we did yours.” of the sudden, it’s there.” The radiation was develGregory started her first oped to miss the heart, and it round of chemo on the day of was very important for Greher youngest daughter’s high gory that the radiation school graduation. missed her organs. She researched options loIn February 2008, Gregory cally for a surgical oncologist completed her radiation, but to remove the tumor. her journey with cancer didn’t “There are no surgical oncol- stop there. With a passion to ogists here,” she said. “I think help people, she developed it’s very important for people HERStory, her own personal BY ZACK ORSBORN DAILY JOURNAL
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BOOKS RECOMMENDED BY PATSY GREGORY
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“Love, Medicine, Miracles” by Bernie S. Siegel, M.D.
“Anticancer” by David Servan-Schreiber
“The Spectrum” by Dean Ornish
“Drawing on his clinical experience, Siegel shows how we can alleviate stress and release the body’s healing mechanisms.”
“Part memoir, part cutting-edge science, part pathbreaking prevention advice - a wonderfully written journey to a healthier life.”
“Dean Ornish details an empowering new program that enables you to customize a healthy way of eating and living based on your own desires, needs, and genetic predispositions.”
acronym to reach out and lessen the pain of a cancer diagnosis. “My happier moment through all of this was helping other people. I found it was my release,” she said. “I love to give people hope, empowerment, resources and support.” Gregory often takes calls from people recently diagnosed with cancer, and she said she can hear the defeat in their voices until she offers them hope. “I tell them they are a sur-
vivor from the moment they are diagnosed and that 90 percent of it is to remain positive,” she said. Through her battle and defeat of cancer, Gregory said she feels like a stronger person. “I know I am cancer free, and I’m a miracle. God does have a purpose,” she said, tearing up. “I have been through a very heavy battle. One of the chemos I went through was called the Red Devil because it was so strong.” Gregory welcomes calls day
or night because she said she’s been there. “We all like to find somebody who’s been through what we’ve been through,” she said. “We all have struggles, and I think telling my story and helping people through their struggles is very helpful.” Gregory lives with her husband on his farm in Okolona and continues to eat a mainly organic diet with regular exercise. zack.orsborn@journalinc.com Twitter: @thedaily_zack
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