Brushing Against Adversity: Inspiring Breast Cancer Stories Within the Dixie Belle Paint Community

At Dixie Belle Paint Company, we firmly believe that inspiration can come from the most unexpected places. In our journey to bring the joy of creative expression through paint to communities across the globe, we’ve witnessed the incredible power of storytelling, particularly stories of breast cancer survivors. Breast cancer is a battle that affects millions of lives every year. The stories of those who have faced this challenging journey are not only a testament to their strength but also a source of immense inspiration for all of us at Dixie Belle Paint Company. These stories have touched our hearts and the hearts of countless individuals within our cherished communities. Here are some of the stories we’ve been trusted to share.  

Our first story of survival comes from one of our valued retailers: 

Shianne Huston – Owner of Off the Beaten Path in Mills, Wyoming 

In September 2020 I went in for my annual mammogram and it came back as completely normal. About two weeks later, I found a lump. I had to fight to be seen because I just had a normal mammogram. My doctor only took me seriously once I told her there was also a change in the contour of my breast. I would go on to be diagnosed with Stage 1, Triple Positive Breast Cancer. Then started treatment in February of 2021. I did a total of 5 rounds of chemo, 23 rounds of radiation, and 17 rounds of immunotherapy. Today, I am still cancer-free. Don’t just depend on a mammogram. Do yourself exams. It saved my life. Know your body and be your best advocate.   

Yvonne Angus Blocker – Member of the Dixie Belle Family since 2020 

My mom found a lump the size of a pea at age 47. It took a month to get a mammogram appointment. By that time, the lump was the size of a golf ball. They took her straight to surgery; and did a radical mastectomy. Then chemo, radiation, and tons of pills. Didn’t do any good; cancer metastasized into her bones, but her doctor kept telling her the tests were “inconclusive”. By the time we convinced her to change doctors, cancer had advanced to 98% of her skeletal structure. Stages 1-4. At that point, they made the joint decision to just make sure she lived out what little time she had left, as pain-free as possible. She was 60 years old when she passed. 

Teri Durham Parnell – Member of the Dixie Belle Family since 2020

On June 7, 2013, I had just gotten in bed when I felt a hair tickling my breast. I brushed the hair away and felt a lump. My heart pounded and suddenly everything felt so surreal with all the thoughts exploding in my brain at once. I asked my husband to feel it and saw the fear in his eyes as he told me that it was probably just a cyst. After all, just 3 months earlier I had had a CT scan for an upper GI issue that covered the area and it didn’t show up. It was a Friday night so I couldn’t see my Dr until Monday. That was the longest weekend in history. I was diagnosed with Triple Negative breast cancer, stage 2 with a 2 cm tumor. It was very aggressive and by the time I started chemo, it had grown to 3 cm. I had treatment at M D Anderson in Houston, where I lived at the time. As Triple Negative (TN) can be resistant to chemo, the protocol is to administer chemo first so they can see if it’s killing the cancer.

Boy, it was growing so fast I wanted it out of my body now! But the oncologist knew best and after 2 treatments I could actually feel that it was smaller. I was allergic to the Taxol and had anaphylaxis during my second infusion but they used a different one and I was able to tolerate it. I had 6 months of 2 types of chemo. The “red devil” almost killed me, landing me in the hospital with very little blood in my body (neutropenia) on IV antibiotics to ward off infections and the daily injections not working to make my body make blood.

After 5 days of no response, a man, ignoring the “no visitors” sign on my door walked into my room and was not wearing a “space suit” and introduced himself as a pastor. Interestingly, it didn’t occur to me to be afraid of him bringing germs from other patients he had visited. We visited and talked of God then he prayed over me. The next morning, after my daily bloodwork results were back I was told my body had made enough blood that I could be released the next day! I was able to complete the chemo, had surgery then 8 weeks of daily radiation completed my treatment, and got a 99% (they said they don’t give 100%) all clear. I rang the bell signaling the end of treatment on April 9, 2014. And, believe me, I make sure I have yearly mammograms and do self-exams! Early detection is so very important! 

One interesting fact is that I had a Boxer at the time and he would press his nose into and sniff the exact spot where my cancer was. Of course, it didn’t occur to me what his interest was until after I found the lump. I thought he was just smelling something on my clothes. So pay attention to your pets if they continually seek out one certain spot. My dog would really press into it while sniffing. 

Laura Lancaster Perez – Member of the Dixie Belle Family since 2023

I am a 7-year survivor of breast cancer. I found a lump while taking a shower, 9 days after my annual mammogram and the day after my well-woman exam. Literally overnight, I had Stage 2 breast cancer. I had no family history of ANY cancer. After chemo, surgery, radiation, more surgery, targeted therapy, and currently in year 7 of 10-year hormone therapy, I’m considered cured and am doing great. But, I highly encourage everyone (men included because they can also get breast cancer, and it’s often more fatal since men don’t typically get the screenings that women do) to be sure to get your mammogram as well as do regular self-exams. Early detection is so important. Had I waited another year for my next mammogram, I probably wouldn’t be here. It’s not an easy road and every single cancer patient has a different journey. I gladly share my story to bring awareness to others. 

Robin Peters – Owner of Scrappy Robin’s Nest

My mom was 36 when she was diagnosed she died at age 47. I was 25 when I was diagnosed my sister was 20 I’m still a survivor it’s been 33 years no thanks to my doctors they kept saying you’re too young. Well, you’re never too young to know, if you feel something is wrong and your doctor won’t listen – find another. My sister’s was more advanced but she made it through the breast cancer, it came back in her lymph nodes and blood she died 8 years ago. Also, you can be a man and have breast cancer my dad got breast cancer a year after my mom died…he got through it but died from Parkinson’s. I am the only member in my family that had breast cancer to survive and I’m so thankful and grateful every day…you can be at this!! 

Breast cancer survivor stories serve as powerful, poignant reminders that Dixie Belle Paint is not merely a chalk mineral paint company, but rather an integral component of a lively, compassionate community, composed of resilient individuals who have confronted life’s most gruesome challenges with unwavering courage and determination. These narratives weave a tapestry of colorful connections that goes further than the paintbrush and canvas. These community stories act as a profound testament to the shared human experience that binds us together in unity, reminding us of the uncrushable spirit that unites us all in our collective journey through life.

Our final story belongs to Lori Mosley, owner of The Wandering Relic – 

My name is Lori Mosley and I live in Monroe, GA. I am 55 years old, and I am a breast cancer survivor. Happily married to my best friend, Greg, and have two amazing daughters, Hannah and Elise. I am also Nana to three adorable grandsons, Chandler, Jasper, and Maverick. This is my story. 

I have always been diligent about self-breast exams and making sure I got my yearly mammogram after I turned 40 but was lax about both in 2021. Life got busy and I meant to schedule my mammogram but just kept putting it off and never did it. Even when I finally scheduled it, I almost didn’t go because I just didn’t want to be bothered. Thank God I finally decided to go. I had never worried about the results of my mammograms because, after all, I had one each year since I was 40 and they were always normal. This time, I got a call. There was something in my right breast they needed to look at more closely with a diagnostic mammogram and an ultrasound. Right after getting off the phone, I felt my right breast. There it was. My heart sank and I immediately started to worry.  

My diagnosis on February 11, 2022 – Aggressive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Stage 3B, Estrogen, and Progesterone Positive and HER2 Negative (Protein found in some cancers that feed the cancer). The tumor was approximately 2.7 cm. It had also spread to three lymph nodes, with one being micrometastatic (spreading outside the lymph node). The Plan – Eight rounds of chemo to shrink the tumor, a lumpectomy with reconstruction, 20 rounds of radiation, and 5 years of oral hormone blockers to suppress the estrogen and prevent reoccurrence.  

I had a lumpectomy with reconstruction on July 7, 2022. They were able to get clear margins and removed 9 lymph nodes with one being positive for cancer. I started radiation on August 13, 2022, five days per week, for four weeks driving from Monroe to Athens and back. What people sometimes do not understand is that breast cancer and the treatments for it honestly change a person. It is not as simple as being treated and you are cured and go on with life. It changes your life mentally and sometimes physically forever. Medical treatments to cure cancer such as chemo and radiation have serious side effects. My heart muscle was weakened by chemo, but my heart doctor has put me on medication that he feels confident will build my heart back up. Chemo can also increase arthritis in those individuals prone to it like myself. 

Breast cancer has been the hardest thing I have ever had to go through mentally and physically. I am slowly starting to feel more like myself these days. I lost the 20 lbs I gained during my treatment, my hair grew back, and my knee is recovering well. Cancer and the treatments for it changed me forever. I am not the same person I was before my cancer diagnosis, I now have a very different outlook on life and how precious it is. I don’t want to take anything for granted ever again, and I know God has a plan for me. There were struggles and I questioned why me, but as someone has said, why not me?

I have chosen to share my experience and be open and honest with anyone who will listen. It is important for me to show others that they can get through this and that they are going to be okay. Maybe that is the answer to why not me. Why not me to be the one to show the example of strength? I conclude my story with one last piece of wisdom…PLEASE DO SELF-BREAST EXAMS OFTEN AND GO GET YOUR YEARLY MAMMOGRAM!  

Read the rest of Lori’s story here. 

Breast cancer survivor stories have touched the heart of Dixie Belle Paint Company, reminding us of the incredible resilience, strength, and creativity that exist within our communities. These stories inspire us to continue our mission of fostering creativity and providing a platform for self-expression. To extend our love and strengthen the battle against Breast Cancer, Dixie Belle Paint will be donating proceeds to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation for the entire month of October. All the way up to $10,000. 

As we move forward, we remain committed to celebrating the human spirit and supporting those who face breast cancer with unwavering courage. We believe that by sharing these stories and embracing the power of creativity, we can make a difference not only in the world of art but in the lives of those who inspire us every day. Remember, get your mammograms and check yourself!  

Please note: We did our best to keep the stories and their meaning fully intact. Some articles were shortened for length purposes. Please read the full stories from our survivors linked at the end of the passage.