Cancer Survivor Finishes Her First Five Mile Race

By Deborah M. Walker

 

A college graduate with hopes of law school Jessica Fox thought it could never happen to her. “I was shocked,” said Fox. “I don’t understand how this could have happened to me.”

 

Fox was diagnosed with precancerous cells of the cervix. Her diagnosis was devastating.  Fox who was 24-years-old at the time was young and healthy with a promising future ahead of her.  She was a graduate of Michigan State University and was on her way to attend Law School at Vermont Law School in Vermont at the time.

 

“I didn’t tell anyone. Not until years later did I divulge that I had been diagnosed,” said Fox.

 

Her diagnosis kept her in a constant state of worry and depression. Fox says that she was worried if she would survive or even if she would be able to have children.  Fox says not only did she not tell anyone about her diagnosis she also did not reach out to any support groups. Fox went through her ordeal alone. Fox says it never occurred to her that there might be help available and none was suggested.

 

With the uncertainty of her health looming over her day and night, Fox spent the next 2 years in and out of doctor offices. This caused Fox to sink into a depression and in the months following her diagnosis Fox gained over 30 pounds.

 

“I was devastated with the diagnosis. I began to eat excessively as a way to cope with the emotions I was feeling around my diagnosis,” said Fox.

 

Fox was at a low point in her life and says it was her faith in God that kept her strong during the 2 years she had undergone testing.

 

“I had faith in the Lord and his healing power. I leaned on the healing scriptures and Gospel music,” said Fox.

 

Fox’s prayers were answered. She tested negative to all cancerous cells, 2 years after testing positive to precancerous cervical cancer cells.

 

“I was elated,” said Fox, “There are no words to describe how I felt when they told me that I was clear and that I wouldn’t have to be tested anymore.”

 

Fox is living a healthy lifestyle while surviving cancer.

 

Fox says even with the good news she still had not made any lifestyle changes and the pounds continued to pile on.

 

“I was stuck in the pattern that I had developed after my diagnosis. It was years later, approximately 5 and a half, before I actually started to become healthy. That was because my health had spiraled out of control. I was on numerous medications, the doctors were threatening to hospitalize me,” said Fox.

 

Fox got serious about her weight. Over the 3 and a half years Fox shed 116 pounds and got down to a healthy size but she did stop there. Fox put the 2 years she spent visiting doctors and worrying over rather or not she would develop cancer behind her and focused on her future. She got involved in running races and has not looked back since.

 

“I found out that a colleague of mine ran and she invited me to come out and run with her. I haven’t looked back since,” said Fox. Fox signed up for the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure as her first race.

 

Fox says others can learn from her experience.  Fox says not to wait until it is too late to make better choices about health and lifestyle; small changes along the way can make a big difference in the outcome.

 

“It’s never too late and there really is time,” said Fox. “It doesn’t take some terrible diagnosis and you don’t have to completely turn your life upside down. You can consciously make better choices, make changes and have a dramatic outcome.”

 

Fox has stayed true to her advice by pushing herself a step further. Normally Fox runs 5K races but her last race on September 13, she ran the 8K at The Playmakers Autumn Classic. The race supports Special Olympics in the district. Over 641 people attended. Fox says she prepared for the race with extensive training. Fox says she did not have any supporters but she did see a few people that she knew at the finish line and they were cheering for her.

 

Fox says that she never worries that the cancer will come back. Fox says that she plans to stay on her career path and hopes to one day have a family. Fox did not let her cancer diagnosis stop her. She still became an attorney 6 years ago and has not looked back.

 

“Eventually (hopefully) I hope to get married and have a family. I have set a goal to run a full marathon at some point in the next 8 years,” Fox said.

 

This was printed in the November 17, 2013 – November 30, 2013 Edition