Local church honors breast cancer survivors and those who lost their battle

CHICKASAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Darden Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Okolona hosted a breast cancer program, recognizing survivors and honoring those who have lost their battle.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation says one in every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.

“When I first heard the words ‘cancer,’ you know when you hear of cancer you think of death. You first think that’s what you’re going to do, I’m going to die,” said cancer survivor Katie Graves.

In 1988, Graves Life was turned upside down when she was given unexpected news…breast cancer.

“I needed friends, and someone to support me, I had the support of my church members and mostly I had support of my family also,” said Graves.

Graves is now a 31-year breast cancer survivor and often times it took more than medication to get her through.

” I prayed a lot, and I had a praying mother, and my children were very supportive you know they were always there for everything I needed,” said Graves.

One-year survivor Jeneice Elliot says family is what comforted her in her journey too.

” I was diagnosed last year in October with first-stage breast cancer and cancer is not a word that’s new to me. In 1979, I was diagnosed with ameloblastoma, it’s cancer in the jawbone so it’s been 40 years for me there,” said Elliot.

Like most women, Elliot was tested regularly for breast cancer every year.

“I had a mammogram the year before and everything was good but then just that one year it can show up. I really wasn’t that afraid because I know God had brought me through the 40 years and I know he wasn’t going to fail me there,” said Elliot.

There are millions of women affected by cancer. Each of them has a different story.

Church member Jeniece Fields lost her battle with cancer this past January.

“She survived for 8 years, she battled it for a long time,” said Field’s son Ricky Lenoir. “We finally went through her passing we are grieving still but with God with a still making it each and every day. She did everything she’s supposed to do as a mom as gave us the blueprint, and without her raising us right we wouldn’t be here today together.”

Fields family said they will continue to keep her legacy and spirit alive.

” You can get a lot of help and a lot of information out there to help you along this journey. God has been good to me and He has blessed me to survive these years and I’m grateful for that,” said Graves.

For more information about breast cancer, click here.