The Birmingham Times
In America, one in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Chanda Temple, an award-winning writer living in Birmingham, profiled one female breast cancer survivor each day in October. The stories also highlight a food from a Birmingham, Alabama, restaurant or food vendor they liked at some point during their breast cancer journey or today. The series is titled “SurviveHer at the Table: Food. Faith. Fight.”
Each story is the opinion of the survivor, with a goal to increase awareness about early detection and treatment for breast cancer. Readers should consult with their physician for medical and health advice and their nutritionist for healthy eating tips. Here’s a look at some of the survivors.
For a complete list of SurviveHer bios visit http://www.chandatemplewrites.com.
A Birmingham mother’s promise after losing her daughter to breast cancer
By Chanda Temple
Every day, Alease Sims walks past a pink wreath that once belonged to her daughter, Stacey Sims Turner.
A sign on it reads: “I stood strong. I fought hard. I won.”
Stacey was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016. As Stacey fought the disease, Alease knew her pain because Alease had fought the same disease in 1989. Alease comforted Stacey through a mastectomy, chemo, radiation and six-month checkups.
Doctors eventually told Stacey she was cancer-free. But in 2021, the cancer had returned and spread to Stacey’s lungs and brain. Again, Alease was by Stacey’s side, telling her, “We are going to fight this.”
They found a trial at a research center in Nashville, where they traveled back and forth to Birmingham for a year. Stacey improved, enjoying time with family and eating the jalapeño-flavored popcorn from Birmingham’s Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Co. because its spice kicked through to her tastebuds during treatment. Alease joined in on the popcorn fun, opting for the sweeter/savory flavor.
But by early 2023, things had changed for Stacey. She had grown weaker in her fight against breast cancer, but she still managed to order school clothes and birthday presents for her son and daughter. Stacey stored them in a hallway closet, and told Alease she wanted her to give them to the children, letting the children know they were from their mama.
On Feb. 10, 2023, Stacey had a frank conversation with Alease.
Stacey: “Let me tell you something.”
Alease: “What?”
Stacey: “You’ve got to let me go. I’m tired.”
Alease: “Oh, baby.”
Stacey: “You kiss me on me. You pray with me, and I don’t say anything. But you’ve got to let me go. You’ve got to let me go. God’s got me, and He’s got you, too. Promise me you are not going to just be here in the house and not go any place.”
It took Alease a minute to process what Stacey was actually saying, first thinking Stacey was just talking about physically letting her go because she had been holding her.
“After I put her back in the bed, I later realized what she was saying, that it was time to let her go,” Alease said.
Stacey passed on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023.
“She was such a special person and the way people responded, they saw the light in her also,” Alease said.
That light still shines in the wreath on the door, where Alease is reminded of what she used to tell Stacey as a little girl: “Shoulders up. Head up.”
Alease carries that message with her in every step she makes today. She knows Stacey would want it that way.
“I hold my head up, and when I open that door, I know I’m going to face the world,” she said. “I’m a survivor.”
The signs of breast cancer aren’t always the same for everyone
By Chanda Temple
Maranda LaRussa knew that lumps in one’s breast could be a sign of cancer. But never had she heard about itchy breasts possibly being a sign.
So, when her breasts started to itch in the summer of 2018, she thought it was odd. Then in October 2018, she experienced pain when she touched a lump in her breast. Immediately, she contacted her doctor.
She went in for an ultrasound. Test results showed it was cancer. A few weeks later, she learned she had Stage 3A breast cancer. She felt like if she had known about itchy breasts, she could have gotten her breasts checked earlier.
“But I ‘m glad that I noticed my symptoms, I was vigilant, and I moved as soon as I could,” she said.
When Maranda first told doctors and friends about her itchy breasts and the painful lump, they said, “That’s not a normal sign.”
“They said, ‘Lumps don’t have pain.’ I was like, ‘This one does,’ ” she recalled. “A lot of the doctors and ultrasound techs said, ‘It is probably not cancer. It’s going to be a cyst.’ ”
Hearing all of that frustrated Maranda because not everyone is the same when it comes to symptoms. She wanted people to really hear her.
At the time, Maranda was 40, and she felt like maybe she was being dismissed because of her age.
“It was just like, ‘Listen to me! I know something is not right. It’s my body. You don’t know what’s going on,’ ” she said. “That was my frustration. And it happens to a lot of people.”
As she fought to be heard, he also fought for her life.
Maranda had a double mastectomy around Thanksgiving 2018. In January 2019, she started 16 treatments of chemo, which was followed by 30 rounds of radiation. And to prepare for reconstructive surgery and the installation of implants, expanders were placed in her chest in 2019.
Following the reconstructive surgery, Maranda had a hard time adjusting to the implants. Several years later, she had them removed. She then opted for a DIEP flap reconstruction, which uses one’s own tissues and blood supply. She said it’s as close to natural as one can get.
Throughout her treatments and surgeries, she could only taste certain things such as Startburst jelly beans. Purple was her favorite. When it came to savory foods, she liked the spicy curry sauce that comes with the potstickers at Surin 280 and Surin West.
“It was kind of like a special thing,” she said of the sauce. “You get kind of down when you are doing (treatments). It gave me something to look forward to.”
And to keep her those special vibes flowing during her recovery, her husband brought Maranda a medium well ribeye steak, a salad and mashed potatoes from Longhorn Steakhouse for Valentine’s Day 2019.
“You don’t really feel normal during all of this, and that did make me feel normal,” she said.
Today, Maranda is the events and development coordinator for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama. As the organization prepares to celebrate 30 years of existence in 2026, she wants to remind people to trust their gut when they feel something is amiss with their body.
“If something does not feel right to you, no matter what you are told is typical or normal, you need to get it checked out,” she said. “You know your body.”
“Do your due diligence and you homework on who your doctor is,” she said. “Make sure they want to treat you as a person and not just as statistic or a number.”
Breast cancer led Denetra Johnson closer to God and community college
By Chanda Temple
Breast cancer pushed Denetra Johnson to do two things: enroll in community college and go to church more.
It all started on Oct. 29, 2011 after her doctor called and said she had triple negative breast cancer. What followed next was all Denetra had to hear: “I think we got it in time.”
Denetra cried at first. Then, she told her family and started working on a plan.
“I said, ‘Well, I’m fixing to do some thangs now,’ ” Denetra recalled. “It’s time for me to grow up, … get stronger, be a thriver and a survivor.’ ”
Denetra enrolled at Brown Mackie College in Birmingham to pursue her medical assistance degree. She also increased going to church from three times a year to every Sunday.
“I didn’t let (breast cancer) defeat me,” she said. “I didn’t wallow in self-pity. I started being more active.”
“I was doing my chemo, radiation and going through school.”
Today, Denetra, 52, is very involved in her Birmingham church, where she hosts a breast cancer program every October. She’s also a member of the breast cancer support group, Sisters CanCervive and serves as a moderator in the group’s online chats. So far as community college, which is now closed, she secured her degree after going through an 18-month program.
During her studies and treatments in 2012, she discovered the Athenian snapper at Fish Market in Birmingham.
“It’s delicious. It’s fresh,” said Denetra, who now works for an insurance company. “I love it.”
Layered with feta cheese crumbles, onions, sautéed tomatoes, capers, lemon juice and black olives, that plate of fish brought a calmness that showed how change can quietly appear in a night or a lifetime.
“Breast cancer pushed me more on what I was procrastinating on,” she said. “It pushed me to be a better me.”
How Nataly Swann Keeps fighting for Joy After Breast Cancer
By Chanda Temple
In fighting breast cancer, Nataly Swann lost her eyelashes, her eyebrows and a few fingernails.
She also lost her happiness.
For someone who was once carefree, cancer left Nataly heavy with worry about herself and if she’d ever see her family in her homeland of Russia again. Tears flowed, hitting the hard, rough reality she couldn’t change. But as every tear fell, Nataly’s footing eventually softened, making way for a whole new harvest.
How did she reap her happiness again?
“Oh, it’s a journey,” she admits. “I’m still adjusting to it.’’
Nataly credits talking to a counselor, getting involved with breast cancer support groups and connecting with organizations such as Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center, which helped her navigate a “new me” and a “new life.”
Through Forge’s cooking classes and yoga sessions, for example, Nataly met survivors she’s still friends with today.
“It showed me that I’m not defined by my diagnosis,” she said. “I am who I am.’’
Nataly was 45 when she was diagnosed with invasive carcinoma in 2019. For treatment, she had a double mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy.
This year, she returned to her doctors for additional testing after some initial tests raised concerns in 2024. A deeper dive revealed that Nataly had a tumor behind her lungs and heart. It was also on the same side where the original cancer was found.
She underwent robotic surgery in May 2025 in Birmingham and the tumor was removed. She remains under a physician’s care.
“My doctor said I surprised him with the outcome,” she said. “He has a very positive outlook …”
To make it through the process, she credits her friends for sending her encouraging cards, her husband for holding her hand, and for loved ones stepping in the help. Her journey has been a challenging one, but one where she lets the smallest thing brighten her day.
“I love to buy myself flowers,” she said. “I have fresh flowers at home. At work. They give me just joy.”
“When I look at the flowers, I forget about things that are hurting me.”
Something else that’s been a happy spot for Nataly during her breast cancer journey is the Pappadeaux’s Greek salad, which features a lettuce mix topped with banana peppers, fresh tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, Greek dressing and a squeeze of lemon. There are options to top it with crab meat or shrimp.
“I think it’s my dream dinner,” she said. “It’s the food that comforts. It’s so clean.”
“I don’t know how they make such a simple thing like a Greek salad taste so good. Maybe it’s the extra love or something.’’
At 19 years old, Jordan Collins received a diagnosis that changed everything
By Chanda Temple
Jordan Collins was a sophomore at the University of Alabama in October 2024, when her world seemed to stop.
There, standing in the shower, she felt a lump. She was only 19.
The next morning, she went to a women’s health clinic and underwent additional testing. On Nov. 19, 2024, she was told she had Stage 0 breast cancer.
Immediately, her mind began to race. Could it had been something she ate? Something she drank? Her environment? Could it have even been her family genes since several of her aunts had had breast cancer?
Then, she leaned on her faith to ease her fears. And right there, ‘”Jordan, the Warrior ” was born.
“I said, ‘This is my fight, and I will fight it.’ ”
Doctors discussed these treatment options with her:
- A lumpectomy with radiation
- A single mastectomy
- A bilateral mastectomy
Fearful the cancer could return or spread before she even turned 35 or 40, Jordan pushed for a bilateral mastectomy. On Jan. 7, 2025, she had both breasts removed and had reconstructive surgery in Birmingham. She started classes at Alabama on Jan. 8.
“I wanted to take a medical withdrawal, but I thought it would be best to keep pushing,” said Jordan. “So, I worked through the university and got all of my classes online.”
Today, Jordan is 20-year-old junior majoring in management information systems. Her goal is to become a data analyst for a Fortune 500 company.
“There is life after breast cancer. I’m thriving, y’all,” she said, wearing a fuchsia, floor-length gown and her hair pulled back in a chignon as she stood, speaking before a packed room today during the City of Birmingham Human Resources’ “Pink Power” hour to honor its employees affected by breast cancer.
She later said she wore the dress to make a statement and show that “life after breast cancer looks amazing.”
“I look good, and I feel good.”
She also wants to continue to spread the message that early detection is so important, and continue to work with breast cancer support groups such as PinkTopps and Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center.
“By sharing my story, I hope it will encourage young people to get checked and for every woman to get checked,” she said. “Please don’t put anything off. If you see something, feel something. Say something.”
Because her appointments took place at St. Vincent’s in Birmingham, she visited several restaurants in the area. Her favorite was Hattie B’s, where she ordered the chicken tenders. Said their peach cobbler was “my guilty pleasure.”
“After a long day of appointments, that’s what I wanted to eat,” she said.
And since she graduated from Ramsay High School, which is also near the hospital, she liked the big baked potato from Al’s Deli; and chicken sausage and pancakes from Pancake House in Five Points South.
“After cancer, I made a lot of dietary changes. I cut pork out, and I watch may sugar intake,” she said. I just drink water or freshly squeeze orange juice and apple juice. I try to eat food that is very organic.”
“I still eat Hattie B’s once a month. I’ll give myself some grace,” she said. “I sometimes get a cupcake from K&J’s (Elegant Pastries in Birmingham’s Uptown.) I deserve a little sweet treat sometimes.”
A Birmingham breast cancer patient shares her story over a missed mammogram and her promise of hope
By Chanda Temple
When Monique Martin’s father died in May 2024, she was engulfed in grief. And as a result, the lymph nodes under her arms and in her neck, began to swell.
She thought stress had brought on the brief swelling. So, she ignored it.
Then, in August 2024, the swelling returned and it gradually got worse. In October 2024, she felt a lump in her left breast. Officials scheduled her for a mammogram in November 2024.
“I got the mammogram, went on the patient portal and read the results before they even called me,” she said. It said, “Indicative of breast cancer.” She wasn’t totally surprised because her mother is a breast cancer survivor. But she was scared.
“I was kind of kicking myself because I was like, ‘Maybe if I had gotten on this when I first noticed my lymph nodes were swollen, the prognosis would have been a little bit better,’ ” she said.
She later learned she had Stage 2 breast cancer. She had to have another mammogram and schedule MRIs, CT scans, bone scans, an ultrasound and biopsies at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB.
“I had to have the whole works,” she said. “Once they got rolling, it was rolling. I was very fortunate. I had the same oncologist and the same breast surgeon my mother had when she went through breast cancer seven years ago. I felt very confident with them.”
Because her mother was a breast cancer survivor, Monique wished she had been more attentive to her own health in 2024. Monique had gone in for a regular gynecology appointment in February 2024, and her doctor encouraged her to schedule her mammogram then. But Monique got busy with life, and she never scheduled the mammogram.
After her diagnosis, she had 12 weeks of chemo, finishing on July 2, 2025. She had a single mastectomy and had some lymph nodes removed on Aug. 15, 2025. Thirty days of radiation is next. And once she gives her body three months to heal, she can have reconstructive surgery.
“I was very scared in the beginning. I feel lot better now,” said Monique, 52. “I still worry about the future. I have a 10-year-old old daughter with autism, and that’s my biggest concern. I have to be here for her.”
To improve her eating habits, Monique started eating meatless meals during treatment. She turned to Birmingham plant-based creator Kimberly Brock of Bitty’s Living Kitchen for help because she was just too tired from chemo to get in the kitchen and cook.
“It was very helpful to get those meals from her because they were either completely raw or mostly raw. I got a lot salads,” said Monique, of Pratt City. “It was very easy, and her meals are delicious.”
“I loved any of her salads where she had the walnut meat. I don’t know if you’ve had walnut meat before, but it makes you think you are eating meat on your salad. She grinds it up and seasons it really well.”
Monique said she was grateful for healthful options from Bitty’s Living Kitchen, which helped to make her recovery at home easier.
Monique also turned to Indian food from Sitar Indian Restaurant in Birmingham during her treatment.
“I did read in some of my cancer books that Indian spices (such as turmeric, ginger and curry) are really good for zapping cancer cells,” Monique said. “At Sitar, I always got their lentil soup and the vegetable biryani,” which is made with basmati rice and comes with a variety of vegetables.
Monique said people should remain aware of their bodies and handle any negative changes right away. To keep better track of her appointments, Monique has now bought a planner to record everything.
“If you ever have to cancel an appointment, reschedule it right then,” she said. “Don’t say, ‘I’ll call back,’ because you probably won’t.
The one pizza from Newk’s that helped Marshelle Harris taste life again
By Chanda Temple
During her chemo treatments for breast cancer, many things tasted like air to Marshelle Harris.
Everything, that is, except for Newk’s Margherita Pizza when she swapped out its red pizza sauce for the Newk’s white barbecue sauce. She also asked that a little cilantro be added to the pizza’s existing offerings of grape tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil.
The combo was a game changer, as the white BBQ sauce burst through with the most robust flavors on the warm, soft pizza slices.
“I always tell people about it, and when they get it, they say, ‘Girl, you were not lying!'” she said.
In an effort to overload with nutrition and to “eat the rainbow” while going through chemo, Marshelle made smoothies at home in the morning and at night. She added three fruits and three vegetables, along with superfoods. (People should always consult with their physician or nutritionist on which food route is better for their specific health conditions and health goals. Marshelle offers a free e-book with 30 cancer-fighting superfoods here. Also, the National Breast Cancer Foundation offers a five-step smoothie guide here. The Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center also has a list of seven foods breast cancer survivors should consider for healthy aging.)
In July 2019, Marshelle was diagnosed with triple negative Stage 2 breast cancer, the most aggressive form of breast cancer. She underwent 16 weeks of chemo. Then, she had a double mastectomy, followed by six weeks of recovery. She later had five weeks of radiation. About 1.5 years later, she had reconstructive surgery in August 2022.
Now at the age of 48, she’s cancer-free; has published two books about her breast cancer journey; is a breast cancer coach, advocate and founder of Wellness 4 Life at http://www.marshelleharris.com; is a board member for the Cancer Awareness Network; and is a member of Sisters CANcervive non-profit organization. Last week, she traveled to Washington, D.C. and Chicago to take part in national breast cancer conferences. In November, she will leave for Portugal to participate in the Advanced Breast Cancer International Consensus Conference.
“I’m a boots-on-the-ground advocate, someone who believes that real impact happens when you move beyond conversations and step into the work,” she said.
Before now, there were times Marshelle struggled to get out of bed, due to the neuropathy that ravaged her hands and feet; walking again; and regaining her range of motion. But there was also victory on the other side of the hard days, including the time she was able to complete a 55-mile bike ride with her bike small group.
“That was hard, and I wanted to quit so many times,” she said in a YouTube video about her journey. “I did not quit, though… It reminded me of my cancer journey.”
Pain raced through her body. But she kept going.
“Life can be just like this, but do not quit. Don’t give up,” she said. “It gets better.”
Chanda blogs at http://www.chandatemplewrites.com. If you have a food story idea, email her at chandatemple@gmail.com. Follow her on Instagram at @chandatemple.
