Double Trouble: Tupelo Woman Faces Breast, Colon Cancers

As the mother of twin girls, Ebonie Nails has double-timed parenting milestones for eight years.

The 46-year-old Tupelo woman didn’t anticipate she would face double the cancer milestones starting in 2023. She was diagnosed with breast cancer on Sept. 4 and colon cancer on Oct. 6.

“At first, I questioned ‘Why me?’ and then ‘Why not me?’” Ebonie said. “I just had to trust that God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers.”

It’s been a hard 13 months, but Ebonie Nails said she is grateful for the routine cancer screening that found her tumors. The unrelated breast cancer and colon cancer were discovered before they spread.

“If I hadn’t caught it when they did, it would have been much worse,” Ebonie said.

Quick diagnoses

Ebonie participates in the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Healthy You program offered through her employer, Home Stretch. The wellness program encourages cancer screening covered by health insurance.

Her mammogram on Sept. 3 showed a suspicious lesion. The next day, a biopsy revealed an early stage 2 tumor. Test results showed her tumor was fueled by hormones.

Under the guidance of oncologist Dr. Jiahuai Tan, she went through oral chemotherapy before having a lumpectomy performed by breast surgeon Dr. Danny Sanders.

As she was preparing for radiation treatment following breast surgery, she was blindsided yet again. Her screening colonoscopy revealed colon cancer. The colon tumor was still contained in her colon but was bigger than her breast cancer.

Surgeon Dr. Richard McAdory was able to remove the whole tumor in her colon. However, complications required two follow up surgeries.
Because she had two different primary tumors, her multidisciplinary Cancer Care team recommended she have genetic testing. The results were negative, but it was important to know for her family and herself, Ebonie said.

After healing from colon cancer surgeries, she was able to proceed with radiation treatment for her breast cancer. She currently is taking hormone blockers as the final stage of her treatment.

Surrounded by support

There were tough days, but Ebonie held tight to what mattered most.

“My motivation has been my kids (Isabella and Gabriella) and my husband (Bryant),” Ebonie said. ”I just knew I wanted to be there for them.”

Her mother, Sheila Blanchard, her mother-in-law, Lillian Casey, and her siblings, Jerrushia Cleaves and Perez Dillard, helped fill in the gaps. Her childhood friend and fellow breast cancer survivor, Felicia Ruff, was there for her through the fight.

“My husband was trying to work 12-hour shifts and take care of the kids,” Ebonie said. “I had a pretty good support team.”

Although she was off work about nine months, she stayed connected to her Home Stretch team.

“My boss came to see me in the hospital and the owner of the company checked on me,” Ebonie said.

Her teammates created “Tough as Nails” shirts for breast cancer awareness in October 2022.

“Even the guys wore them; it was sweet,” Ebonie said.

Beyond family, friends and her Second Baptist Church family, Ebonie leaned on the cancer support group sponsored by Wear It Well.

“Once you’ve talked to other survivors, you realize it’s not a death sentence,” Ebonie said. “You put on your boots and fight.”

Breast cancer survivor Shanda Rogers, who has since passed away, checked on Ebonie daily during her treatment and encouraged her to remain positive.

“She truly inspired me and helped me to see how some fights are so much harder than others,” Ebonie said.

Through the tears and prayers, Ebonie took solace in writing about her experiences and feelings. She found perspective in the journey.

“I’m blessed and oh so thankful,” Ebonie said. “Cancer makes you not take anything for granted; even the smallest things matter.”

Ebonie Nails grateful that screenings caught her cancers early