Maggie Williams shortly after she finished her treatments for breast cancer.
Courtesy Photo | Maggie Williams
It’s been 11 years since Maggie Williams was declared cancer free, but as she recalled the story of her journey and her battle with cancer it felt, she said, as if it happened only yesterday.
“My journey with cancer began in November (of 2011),” Williams recalled. “I noticed a little tiny bump on the right side of my chest, right above my breast.”
Williams remembered finding the bump and waiting a few weeks to do anything about it. But by the time it had gotten bigger and more uncomfortable, she spoke to her daughter about it before getting it checked out.
“I went to two doctors and they advised me to get a sonogram and ultrasound,” Williams said. “After those visits, I found out it was cancer; it was in the first stage.”
In February of 2012, she had a biopsy, then, in March, she began chemotherapy. For Williams, the chemotherapy treatment lasted about five months, with the final doses being administered in August of that year.
Williams recalled that she had chemo treatments three times a week and after that she followed it with three months of radiation.
The treatments, like the diagnosis, she said, was scary. And tough.
“When I first found out that it was cancer, it was very terrifying,” Williams shared. “The chemo treatments drained me. I would go for my treatments and then I’d get home and I didn’t have any energy.”
She shared that at first, there were moments when she was scared she was going to die.
“It was like, ‘is (the cancer) going to take me out today? Am I going to die from this?’ But the doctors and nurses all convinced me that the first stage is good,” she said.
Williams does say that cancer is not good, nor will it ever be good, but the earlier it is detected the better chances you have of beating it.
That’s why she advocates strongly that women take care of themselves, self checking and getting those annual mammograms.
“They are important,” she stressed. “I know it’s scary, but not doing anything and then finding out you have cancer, that’s even scarier.”
But despite her fears, Williams said once she received her diagnosis, she also had determination to fight.
“I was convinced that this was not the end,” she said.
But with the fear also came the sadness of change. Williams shared that she lost all of her hair after the third week of treatments.
“My hair was as clean as the back of my hand. Looking in the mirror was hurtful,” she recalled, sadness creeping into her voice.
But as Williams continued her treatments, she found it easier to tamp down the fear and replace it, instead, with faith. She credited this change in attitude to her belief in God and the people in her life who were praying for her during her journey.
“It was just amazing how I continued my treatments,” she said. “I lost the fear of anything bad happening. I just began to experience much more strength and peace.”
Radiation was not the end of Williams’ treatments either.. She had to follow through with check-ups every six months with her doctor to make sure the cancer was completely gone.
“I thank God,” Williams said, about her recovery and the news that she was cancer-free. “It was amazing how I didn’t have the strength and faith before cancer, but after going through cancer, I became a stronger believer. My faith just grew.”
Another factor that helped Williams overcome her fear was her sister and her sibling’s encouragement and her own journey.
“My sister had experienced cancer seven years before I did, and she had the second stage,” Williams said. “So with her having endured it, it helped me to gain confidence, too.”
Strength on top of strength brings a toughness that helps fight the batter, she acknowledged, something she learned from her sister and her own personal journey with the disease.
Williams admitted that sometimes, though, she does get scared that her cancer might return, a fear, she said, born out of knowledge about the disease.
“You hear of people that have had it a second time around, and you can’t help but wonder,” she attested. “But I just try to keep my check-ups regular with my doctors and nurses.”
Williams was born and raised in Sampson County and resides in Clinton. She’s 71-years-old with three grown children, ranging in age from 44 to 52.
Before retirement, Williams worked as a home health CNA for Sampson Home Health. Now, she works in child care helping son Jerris, who owns Little Dolphins Child Care.
“I retired and went back to work because I don’t like being home all the time,” she said.
She shared that she’s healthy now, except for the recent knee surgery that she had to endure outside of her journey battling cancer.
You can reach Alyssa Bergey at 910-249-4617. Follow us on Twitter at @SamsponInd, like us on Facebook, and check out our Instagram at @thesampsonindependent.