NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WJBF) – Throughout October, NewsChannel 6 is sharing stories of breast cancer survival. Delora Scott shares her journey from diagnosis to advocacy.
In 2016, Delora Scott decided to hold off on having a fluid-filled cyst removed. By 2018, the mass was giving her trouble, so she went to see her doctor.
“It was actually breast cancer,” said Scott.
An MRI revealed that she also had a mass on the other side. And other tests showed she needed her gallbladder removed.
“Bilateral mastectomy, gallbladder removal, then chemo, then radiation, so that pretty much took my entire 2018,” said Scott.
Scott says the demands on her body were heavy.
“Physically, that’s where I learned why they tell you that you’re fighting cancer,” said Scott. “You fight to eat because you’re not hungry and the food doesn’t taste good, you don’t have an appetite. You fight to function during the day because you’re so incredibly exhausted from the chemo. You fight to go to sleep at night because your bones hurt from the treatment. You know, there are all kinds of things that you fight.”
Emotionally, Scott says it was hard dealing with the physical changes…when all she wanted to do was feel normal.
Still, she says her support team made all the difference. The blossoming of her and her husband’s relationship is something she says she will always cherish.
“We just got so close,” said Scott. “He just took such good care of me and sat right next to me through the whole thing and I just gained such an incredible picture of how much he loved me and cared for me. So that, to me, was huge.”
Scott says, for a time, she tried to forget 2018 ever happened… …until she heard about the Miracle Mile Walk.
“I love the mission of the Miracle Mile,” said Scott. “And so that was probably the first time that I really thought, ‘Alright, I’ll wear pink for this’!”
For three years, Scott has been paying the support forward by joining Piedmont Augusta’s Miracle Mile Walk. Each year, her team has grown for a single benefit: helping women gain access to life-saving mammograms.
“It just kind of gives me a little bit of chills because…gosh, if you can’t afford it and you can’t get a mammogram, how are you supposed to know that you need to be treated?” said Scott. “And I think that is what keeps me going.”
As they settle into this chapter of their lives, Scott says she and her husband are considering what’s next.
“We want to spend time with our grandkids,” said Scott. “We want to see our families, travel some. We don’t have any huge career aspirations anymore. We just want to get to the point where we just relax and enjoy life and enjoy each other. And when I retire, Miracle Mile can have me!”
Piedmont Augusta’s Miracle Mile Walk is on Saturday, October 21st. For more information on how to get involved, visit Piedmont Augusta’s Miracle Mile Walk.
