Edna V Williams

Edna V Williams Image

I am a resident of Meriden, CT and a RN with the State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction. I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer during my yearly routine mammogram and at that time finding abnormality, I was then given an ultrasound and was advised to see a surgeon. My surgeon recommended a biopsy that showed that the tumor was cancerous. I then underwent a lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy for 26 weeks. Finding that you have breast cancer can be very frightening. However, being diagnosed with breast cancer does not mean a death sentence. Many women, through early detection and proper medical care, can be cured and go on to live very long and productive lives. The main component for my confidence was my faith in God, my supportive family, my church family, and my work family. I am presently a member of the Witness Program, a group of African American women, comprised of breast cancer survivors and helpers who visit churches and encourage other women to perform monthly breast exams and to have yearly mammograms. In addition to providing information on breast cancer, the Witness Program also encourages women to have yearly Pap Smears as well as other tests, and to see their doctors yearly. I am the wife of Luke Williams and the mother of Evelyn Williams, an attorney in Harford, and Luke Williams, a freshman at Clark Atlanta University, who incidentally did his first speech at school on Breast Cancer Awareness. Statistics have proven that African American women get cancer less, but die of it the most. Our goal is to decrease the numbers of African American women who die from cancer. God has truly blessed me and I hope that the message will get out to all women that it is extremely important to take care of their bodies

“I have hope that the message will get out to all women that it is extremely important to take care of their bodies”