South Georgia Technical College students, faculty and staff recently gathered on the Americus campus for the college’s annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month program and walk, featuring 17-year breast cancer survivor Cathy Dukes Merritt as guest speaker.
SGTC Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Josh Curtin welcomed those attending and helped open the program before Academic Dean Ashley Dukes introduced Merritt, her mother.
Dukes described Merritt as a devoted mother and longtime social worker who has spent 25 years with Lower Chattahoochee Direct Services helping others. She also spoke about witnessing her mother’s strength firsthand through her battle with breast cancer.
Merritt told the audience she was grateful for the opportunity to share her story and emphasized that breast cancer can affect people at many different ages and stages of life.
“I stand before you thankful, grateful and blessed to be a 17-year breast cancer survivor,” Merritt said.
Merritt was diagnosed Sept. 22, 2009, with medullary carcinoma of the left breast. She recalled the shock and fear of receiving the diagnosis and said one of her first thoughts was how she would tell her daughter, who had recently lost her father.
Merritt said her daughter’s reaction gave her additional determination to fight the disease.
“I knew I had to fight with everything that was in me,” she said.
Her treatment included a unilateral mastectomy, seven rounds of chemotherapy, seven weeks of radiation, preventive medication and months of reconstruction. Although she eventually received the news that she was a breast cancer survivor, Merritt told the audience that recovery continued beyond treatment as she dealt with side effects and worked to rebuild her life.
She encouraged students to pay attention to changes in their bodies and not ignore warning signs. Using an analogy geared toward SGTC students, Merritt compared physical warning signs to a diagnostic trouble code in a vehicle.
“When you get any sign that you might have breast cancer or that something just doesn’t feel right, you don’t want to ignore it,” she said.
Merritt stressed that a lump is not always the first indication of breast cancer and encouraged those attending to become familiar with their bodies, know their family histories and seek medical attention when something does not feel right.
“Early detection is the key,” Merritt said. “If you feel something, say something.”
She also encouraged students to develop healthy habits, including eating well, limiting alcohol use, avoiding smoking and vaping, and paying attention to family history on both sides of the family.
Merritt closed by reminding students that taking care of their health is an important part of reaching the goals they are pursuing through education.
“You get one body,” she said. “You want to love it, you want to nourish it, you want to take care of it, you want to do everything so that you can reach that milestone, so that you can graduate.”
Following Merritt’s presentation, participants took part in a walk around the Americus campus in support of breast cancer awareness and remembrance. Students, faculty and staff also received educational materials and refreshments following the walk.
The SGTC Breast Cancer Awareness event is held annually to increase awareness of breast cancer risks and emphasize the importance of screening and early detection. The event also provides an opportunity for members of the college community to hear directly from survivors and reflect on the impact breast cancer has on individuals and families.
