Albany cancer survivor displays heart of gold

ALBANY — Mary Brown, a south Albany resident, retiree of the Dougherty County School System and mother of four, has battled breast cancer twice. The second time, she came back with a heart of gold.

Brown has been volunteering with Horizons Community Solutions for four years, doing what she can to help raise funds for others going through what she did when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998 and again in 2005.

She has since developed a reputation that makes her stand out in comparison to other volunteers with the organization.

Horizons CEO Diane Fletcher called Brown a “standout ambassador” and “wonderful role model for those in the community.” Fletcher said she “wishes she had 50 more of (Brown)” with her same passion for helping people.

“She has been a volunteer for the Cancer Coalition (of South Georgia) and Horizons for close to five years,” Fletcher said. “She has been a faithful volunteer. We depend on proceeds raised from fundraisers, and we have to have volunteers. Our success depends on it.

“Ms. Mary has been a wonderful volunteer. She believes in our mission because she is a cancer survivor herself. She is very enthusiastic about our mission, and that comes through in her volunteering for us. Even when something personal affects her, she still takes the time to help us.”

Brown’s journey began in October 1998 when she had a biopsy at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. She experienced congestive heart failure during the procedure, so it was a few days later that she found out about her cancer. She later had a left mastectomy and chemotherapy, spending a month in the hospital with tubes coming in and going out of her.

It was more than two years before Brown was able to go back to work. When the cancer came back a few years later, she retired from her position as a special needs paraprofessional.

“I was sick a lot,” she said. “I couldn’t eat, all my hair came out, and it has not come back.”

Brown is now in remission. At the time of her personal battle, she had a strong support network of family, friends and co-workers, and said she kept her faith. When the chemo kicked in, her son-in-law prayed with her.

“My trust in God and faith was what got me through,” she said.

Brown started her volunteer efforts on the seventh floor of Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, giving out milkshakes and hand massages. She was sent to work with oncology patients, for whom she performed hand massages until she started caring for her sister, who later died from lung cancer.

Brown has a passion for collecting angels and bells, which sit in her Sweetbrier Road living room. They have been given to her as gifts, and each symbolize something.

“When I’m feeling bad, I look at these angels,” she said. “I think about the people who gave them to me.”

Brown kept a journal chronicling her battle, which she said she wants to publish one day. There were challenging times, yet she could not cry even though she wanted to. It was not until she started going back to church that she regained this ability.

“Everyone goes through challenges,” Brown said. “If you trust God, you will be alright.”

Now, she cooks regularly for others. She takes some meals to the Albany Rescue Mission, others she will give to anyone in her house needing food. She also speaks at churches and various venues to spread what she has learned, and she encourages anyone who will listen to pay attention to what their bodies are telling them. She reinforces her message by handing out pamphlets and brochures.

“I spoke to men at a church three years ago,” she said. “Many had not been checked, and they went (to a doctor) the next week. The pastor told me three found out they had prostate cancer.

“Take care of yourself while you are here.”

Anytime someone else needs something, Brown is known to jump up and pitch in in a heartbeat. She does not have to even know them.

“Anything I can do along the way to help somebody, I do it,” Brown said. “I am a giving person. I’m a true believer in Jesus Christ. I know what God has done for me because he has saved me.”

The people she has given to sometimes feel compelled to give back.

“I get money in the mail, more than when I was working,” she said.

For Horizons, Brown helps with the Divas and Desserts and Night for Hope fundraisers. She visits nursing homes, helping one woman get to church. At her church, she makes special gifts for the ladies for various holidays throughout the year.

Other forms of assistance are not as exposed, because of how stressful a cancer diagnosis can be. Some calls come through from people in distress at 3 or 4 a.m.

“A lot of things you do behind the scenes, because people don’t want to be identified,” Brown said. “Cancer patients will come by and pray.”

There are a number of Horizons workshops that she attends. She has helped with the Women’s Health Conference conducted by Phoebe and she has spoken at the Albany Civic Center.

Before her own diagnosis, Brown said reaching out to others was something she did not have the perspective to do. Since then, she said she has witnessed others on the same road who did not get as far as she did.

She dresses up some days, even when she is not going anywhere, because she enjoys life.

“(The cancer) made me a better person,” Brown said. “The second time it came, I was really changed. I was closer to God, closer to people.

“(People should) Work and do everything everyday like it was your last.”

Now that her attire includes a wig, Brown said she doesn’t take anything for granted.

“It will put you on straight street,” she said. “I don’t wish that on anybody.”

Many consider cancer to be a personal issue. Brown said she disagrees.

“Cancer is not personal,” she said. “In God’s eyes, it is not a big ‘C,’ it is a little ‘c’.”

Brown now decorates in pink and white for breast cancer awareness, displays a cancer wreath and uses Christmas decorations that are pink. Her mailbox and shutters often will have the same color scheme.

Brown advises women to get a buddy to hold them accountable for their health and to get serious about taking care of themselves.

“You want to stay here as long as you can, but you have to take care of yourself,” she said. “Take your buddy to the doctor. There is nothing to be ashamed of. I used to be ashamed.

“It was all new to me (when I was diagnosed), and I started to research. I tell my children to listen to your body. I will keep speaking and doing workshops as long as I can.”

Brown said she meets a lot of people doing what she does, many of whom have been in the same boat she was. Her goal is that it becomes more common for people to take care of themselves and learn to be happy.

“I am thankful to have life and strength,” Brown said. “Don’t take life for granted. Live life to the fullest.

“I wish everyone had a heart of gold to take care of others, but they don’t. I do what I do, and do it from the heart.”