Survivor Ann Malone gives inspiration to other patients
As a breast cancer survivor , Ann Malone often shares her story with other women who are battling the disease to offer them hope and inspiration .
“ You have to be positive and fight through the treatment ,” said the Meridian resident who was surprised when she was diagnosed with breast cancer following a routine mammogram in April 2011 .
“ There are good days and there are bad days ,” she added . “ You need to use all of your support systems , along with your church community and your church family , to help you get through it .”
Breast cancer is second to skin cancer as the most common cancer diagnosed among women in the United States , according to the American Cancer Society .
While many women have a family history of the disease , Malone did not .
Testing revealed four tumors and the cancer had spread to some lymph nodes . Her breast cancer was diagnosed as Stage 3 .
“ Whenever they diagnosed me , I came back to the parking lot and I had my cry and I gave it to God ,” said Malone , a long-time nurse for Sta-Home Health & Hospice , now owned by AccentCare .
“ I told Him , this is not like going and buying a new pair of shoes and I decide I don ’ t like them and I want to take them back ,” she added . “ This is something I have got to let you deal with and help me through .”
Malone , who was then 54 , went through nearly 10 months of treatment that included a combination of chemotherapy , radiation and a mastectomy .
“ I took chemo , then I had surgery , then I took more chemo and radiation and then I took a pill for eight years ,” she said . “ I opted for bilateral mastectomy so that if the cancer did
Whenever they diagnosed me , I came back to the parking lot and I had my cry and I gave it to God .
Ann Malone Breast cancer survivor
come back , I would not have to go through it again .”
Initially , Malone worked full-time while taking treatment then moved to part-time work from her home when the treatments became more grueling .
“ I had a purpose to get up in the morning and get dressed ,” she said . “ Even though I wasn ’ t going anywhere , I got up and took my shower and put on my make-up and worked half a day and then napped .”
She said treatment can be scary but can be managed with a strong support group .
Throughout her treatment , her family , friends , co-workers and church community supported her with calls , cards , meals and volunteering to do chores around the house .
Her husband , Mitch , and daughter , Hope Malone , were integral in her treatment and recovery . Her son , Myles , was a freshman in college then .
“ My daughter is a flight attendant , and she arranged her schedule so that she was home with me during the week while her daddy was at work ,” Malone said . “ Then , she would leave on Friday afternoons , and my husband would be with me on weekends .”
Another group that provided positive support for her was the Carousel Breast Cancer Support Group at Anderson Regional Cancer Center .
When diagnosed with breast cancer , finding other women who have been through a similar journey can be beneficial .
“ They need to find a support system and they need to find somebody who has been through what they are fixing to go through so they can talk to them for support and have them available if they are needed ,” Malone said .
Ginny Ruffin , an oncology social worker and breast cancer patient navigator at Anderson Cancer Center , often turns to Malone to work with newly diagnosed breast cancer patients .
“ Ann is a great person to refer breast cancer patients to because she is so outgoing and she understands what someone may be going through ,” Ruffin said .
“ She is really good about me calling and saying ‘ Can you talk to this person ?’ and she will give them a call and answer their questions and talk with them about what they may be experiencing ,” Ruffin added .
Malone was such a good resource she assumed responsibility of the Breast Cancer Support Group about five years ago before meetings were halted due to the Covid pandemic .
Since then , she and other group members talk with breast cancer patients individually to help lend support .
Though her diagnosis was 11 years ago , Malone still meets with her healthcare providers to make sure
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