Resident has seen success, loss to cancer
Donna Boone Avery, Marion, stays busy at the family restaurant, Stone City Café.
It helps to have a positive outlook on each day.
The positive outlook also was helpful when a routine mammogram revealed a lump 10 years ago this past March.
That experience made her a strong supporter of Marion County Relay for Life since its inception several years ago.
"I don't know why some people don't support it," she said. "Everybody's family has been affected by it or they will be."
For Avery, it was a shocking moment.
"I thought, 'I really don't need this now,'" she said.
The lump was removed and she underwent six weeks of radiation treatments. Five days a week, she went to work at Stone City, drove to Wichita for treatment, then returned for the evening shift.
But being busy wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Spending too much time thinking about cancer isn't healthy, she said.
"It is scary, but don't dwell on it," she said. "A lot of times, attitude is 98 percent of the problem."
Avery carries cards she gives to "prospective customers," as she puts it. Each includes Bible verses, and a poem that lists what cancer can't conquer: love, faith, friendship, memories, and peace. The point is that while the body can be afflicted, the spirit can remain strong.
She believes all people should follow recommendations for cancer testing and exams. She has always done so, and it was a mammogram that uncovered the tumor.
"It was never big enough for me to see or find myself," she said.
Avery also believes people should not hesitate to ask questions. When problems developed two years after her radiation treatment, she ended up seeing another physician.
"He was a cancer doctor, but he wasn't my cancer doctor," she said. The first doctor, she said, just gave her some pills. When she finally was able to see her doctor, tests were done, and the problem was found to be an infection.
Her late husband, Richard Boone, died a year ago soon after he was diagnosed with liver and pancreatic cancer.
Hospice provided wonderful support for the family. However, Avery has made it clear to her family that she doesn't want them caring for her at home at the end. It can take a great toll on surviving loved ones, she said.
"Until you've done it, you don't know what all is involved," she said.
This year's relay is June 7 and 8 at Marion Stadium.
There are 12 teams this year. Cancer survivors will walk the first lap promptly at 7 p.m. The relay will continue until 7 a.m. the following morning.
Blue Bunny ice cream will be available. Pizza will be served at midnight.
Avery plans to be there, though her busy day job keeps her from spending all night.
"It's a great thing they do," she said. "I'm proud to work with it."
