PART I: DIAGNOSED AT 73; CANCER-FREE AT 74; CONTINUING TO THRIVE AT 75
Mom, who turned 75 on Oct. 15, is my first example of style, grace and strength. She sits pretty at Mary Cassatt Tea Room at the Rittenhouse Hotel in Philadelphia on Oct. 18 during her 75th birthday celebration. She is grateful to God and to all those who prayed for her as she faced her breast cancer diagnosis over the last year. PHOTO courtesy of Irma Graham.
As we commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, we're sharing a two-part series featuring the stories of two Virgin Islands breast cancer survivors. While we celebrate these incredible warriors, we also take a moment to remember the mothers, grandmothers, wives, sisters, aunties, cousins, and friends who fought bravely and whose battles ended too soon. You’re always in our hearts, and your strength will never be forgotten. In Part I, I speak with my mother about her recent breast cancer journey.
This October, I rejoice with my mother, Gloria Rosa Graham, who, at age 75, is thriving following her year-long battle with breast cancer.
I remember feeling my heart pounding through my chest when we were informed of mom’s breast cancer diagnosis during a family conference call in early January 2024. It was surreal. Mammy, after raising eight children and who is also grandmother to eight, had never been sick to where she would need extensive medical care or hospitalization. Like many Caribbean mothers, she has been (and still is) the rock of our family and I could not imagine what she—all of us—was about to go through.
Mom and I at lunch on Mother’s Day 2025 at The Palms at Pelican Cove on St. Croix. She paid a surprise visit back home, after being away for more than a year for cancer treatment.
After the call ended, I sat alone in my living room and bawled my eyes out. It was a Sunday afternoon on St. Croix, and I cried well into the evening. The next morning, I woke up crying. Just before getting out of bed, the thought hit me: I needed to pull myself together and be a support for my mother who was suddenly facing something she’d never experienced before. Right then and there, I decided I would drive to her home every morning—starting that day—anoint her with oil and have one-on-one prayer with her—Monday to Sunday, rain or shine. Those daily prayer sessions, sometimes coupled with a brisk morning walk, turned out to be a source of joy and strength for both of us.
Now, fast forward a year and 10 months later following her move off island for treatment, the rallying of her children around her at every turn, countless prayers from loved ones far and near, many doctors’ visits, surgery, radiation, the support of Cancer Support VI and other organizations, and a regimen of medication she has been prescribed for the next five years, mom was declared cancer free in July 2025.
On Oct. 15, Mother celebrated her 75th birthday. My sisters flooded our family group chat with gorgeous photos of an afternoon tea outing in Philadelphia in celebration of mom’s milestone birthday. Tears filled my eyes, as they do now, as I swiped through the photos—soaking in the joy of seeing mom looking positively radiant and beautiful at 75 after everything she’d gone through. Our family feels incredibly blessed to have her with us another year.
Mom credits her faith in God, along with the prayers and support of many in helping her through her breast cancer journey. She is seen here on Oct. 18 enjoying afternoon tea with family at Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Hotel as part of her 75th birthday celebration. PHOTO courtesy of Irma Graham.
Mom’s cancer was in her right breast and was considered Stage 2. Following her surgery, she was not required to undergo chemotherapy; however, she did undergo eight weeks of radiation therapy. I asked her about her breast cancer journey during one of our calls earlier this week.
DBOW: When did you first know something was wrong with your breast?
Mom: I did my mammogram [in Dec. 2023] and then they called for another test. But before my mammogram, I felt a lump under my breast—a thickening. And when they called and asked me to come in and do the test over, then they confirmed that it was cancer [in January 2024].
DBOW: Oh, so you felt the lump even before you did your annual mammogram.
Mom: Yes, then when they saw something in the mammogram and asked me to come back in for another test, it was confirmed that it was cancer.
DBOW: What ran through your mind when you got the confirmation that it was cancer?
Mom: I just know the faith and confidence that I have in my God, so I did not worry too much. I did believe that whatever the situation, I would do whatever lies in my power—to go through and get the different testing and get the surgery. I just continued to trust God.
I remember one time, I was at your sister’s house [in Maryland], and the tears just began to roll down my face—the tears just came down. I cried and cried just remembering that little song that says, ‘Yes, Jesus loves me.’ I was singing that song and the tears just rolled down for a good while, the tears wouldn’t stop. All of a sudden, there was a peace that came over me. I did not cry anymore, but we just continued to go through the process to go and do the surgery and radiation.
At the last day of my radiation treatment, they had me ring the bell. I just lifted my hands in praise and thanks to God for bringing me through that. I did not have to do chemo; I did the radiation, and everything just continued to move smoothly because of the confidence and trust I have in God. I did not get overwhelmed with what was going on. My focus was on Him that he would take care of me and see me through.
DBOW: Your one-year anniversary of being cancer-free was in July. How does that make you feel?
Mom: The day that I went back for my year checkup and the doctor said I was one year cancer-free, it was such a joy to know that I made it through that first year. She said that I still have about [four] years of medication ahead. My confidence is that my God is seeing me through. He’s taking me through. I have no doubt that he’s going to bring me through this journey.
The prayers and the help of all of my children who rallied around me, I could not make it without them. I have great thanks to every one of them because everyone played their part. The prayers that have been going up for me—from family and friends, from people I know and people I don’t know—because of that, it gives me that peace of mind that I am in good hands and the Lord is bringing me through.
DBOW: What words of encouragement can you give to other women who are fighting breast cancer right now?
Mom: I would advise them to trust God and do what lies in your power to do—do what the doctors have instructed you to do and trust God. Without Him, I could not make it; God is going to see you through. That is the advice I can give to anyone.
Another piece of advice I’d like to give is that when you’re going through, don’t keep it a secret. Let your family know what you are going through. When people know what you are going through, they are able to pray for you. They are able to be more caring. When they don’t know, they wouldn’t know what you are going through. From the beginning, I let my church family know, my children know, and my close relatives know. I had the prayers and the support of a great army of family and friends, and church family, to pray for me and this is what has brought me through and is carrying me through. I encourage you to let your loved ones know what you’re going through; don’t go through that all by yourself.
Mom at her recent 75th birthday celebration on Oct. 18 in Philadelphia. PHOTO courtesy of Irma Graham.
DBOW: You just celebrated your 75th birthday and you’re looking younger than ever before. Tell us what’s next for you and how you feel about the future.
Mom: I am so grateful to God for bringing me through another year. Even in the midst of the cancer, He saw fit to bring me through. This year has been a beautiful, beautiful year for me. With the love that has been poured out upon me for my birthday by my children, my church family, my sisters and brothers, and everyone. It makes me feel good that people care—that people care about you and love you. When you feel loved, it makes you feel special. I’m so grateful for another year that the Lord has kept me and I owe all the praise and thanks to God. It is He, in His goodness, in His mercy, in His love that saw it fit to keep me to see another year, and I give my thanks and praise to Him.
So do we, mom, so do we.
If you wish to help local cancer patients during their time of need, consider making a financial donation to Cancer Support VI by visiting www.cancersupportvi.com.