By Cindy Gladden Record Staff Writer Lonnie and Joyce Hollaway know what it’s like to be given the life-changing diagnosis of cancer, fight through it, then continue to battle cancer by raising …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
Attention subscribers
We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, or you are a print subscriber who had access to our previous wesbite, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you have not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
If you are a current print subscriber and did not have a user account on our previous website, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue
Need an account?
Print subscribers
If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one.
Online-only subscribers
If you are a digital subscriber with an active, online-only subscription then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
Non-subscribers
Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber.
Cancer no match for couple
Posted
By Cindy GladdenRecord Staff WriterLonnie and Joyce Hollaway know what it’s like to be given the life-changing diagnosis of cancer, fight through it, then continue to battle cancer by raising money for research.As Relay For Life team captains for the “Inspirations,” the Hollaways encourage all cancer survivors, patients and caregivers to attend the upcoming event to be held Saturday, Sept. 26, from 1-11 p.m. at Black Hawk Middle School in Warrenton.“Your life priorities change when you get the diagnosis,” said Joyce, who was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2000. “It was obviously very scary, but I wasn’t panicked.”Breast and colon cancer had marked her family before, but she wasn’t thinking this was the end of her life. Taking comfort in advances in cancer treatments, Joyce endured surgery and chemotherapy to defeat the disease.Just when the couple felt comfortable retiring and enjoying trail riding with their quarter horses, Lonnie was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009.“My first thought was to fix it and move on with our lives,” he said. “I was uneasy, but it didn’t scare me.”Because of their experiences with cancer, the Hollaways joined the Warrenton-based support group, The Inspirations. Meeting the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at Fellowship Baptist Church, The Inspirations provides continued support to cancer patients, caregivers and survivors.“We don’t just go for us,” said Lonnie about the meetings. “We go to support others, to offer hope to first-timers.”Joyce said an incredibly hard thing to hear from cancer survivors is that “the cancer is back.”“It’s something you don’t want to hear because it could happen to you,” she said. “We don’t want to have a pity party at our meetings. We do a lot of praying there.”The Inspirations will have a booth at the Relay For Life selling silent auction items, roast beef sandwiches and bratwurst. Visitors also can play the pie in the face game for $1 a throw at the group’s booth.The Hollaways say that cancer research is working. They encourage patients to have a positive attitude and depend on their faith to help get them through the challenge. Joyce encourages people to listen to their bodies and recognize when something doesn’t seem right.“When we were sick our whole church community was praying for us,” said Joyce. “Faith can be a common denominator in fighting cancer.”The most inspirational moment at the Relay For Life for the Hollaways is the survivor lap/role call when each person comes forward and tells how many years they have survived cancer. This year’s survivor lap will take place at 6:30 p.m.“I’ll see friends that I didn’t even know had cancer,” said Lonnie.“We love the luminarias,” said Joyce. “They symbolize hope and courage.”Joyce said her advice to those fighting cancer would be to ask for support from family members and friends.“Don’t shut yourself away from people who want to help,” she said. “Many times they just don’t know how.”
Joyce and Lonnie Hollaway, of Warrenton, have both survived bouts with cancer and have turned their focus to raising money to fund research to find a cure. Cindy Gladden photo.
