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Sue Chattaway

- edited by: Mike Kaufmann

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Sue Chattaway personifies what ‘making the community a better place’ is all about. Even while struggling through the trials and tribulations of her own life, Sue never shows up without a smile, never turns her back on the needs of those around her, and always strives to be positive, setting the standard of love and light in some pretty dark places.
Sue Chattaway

Sue Chattaway. I have a crazy happy life! I am married to the man of my dreams, and I have the most amazing step-children on the planet. I am super close to my family and I truly couldn’t ask for more. I own my own business and love to cook, travel and entertain.

Sue and Wayne!

However…my life has been re-defined these past eleven months. Cancer chose me – out of the blue, with no warning and with no regard to the fact that I had trips planned, work to do, and everyday commitments. How dare it do this to me? Or – better yet, why not me? I’m not so special. So thank you, Cancer, for giving me the opportunity to see the beauty in life and in my sweet town of Jacksonville from a totally new perspective.

Always Love.

Yes, it is a terrible thing to be diagnosed with Breast Cancer. You have lots of decisions to make when this happens. Where do I even begin?

First you pray to God like you have never prayed before. You know you will be ok one way or another. You have to at least believe that!

Second, you gather your Army – family, friends, medical specialists, strangers that have been through it, and perfect strangers that smile at you randomly as if they know what is going on. They are ALL critical to this crazy journey.

Third, you take some time for yourself and get your attitude right for healing. This is pretty hard, but so critically important

Finally, you buckle down for the ride. The ups and downs are surprising and completely unnatural. But I’m not the first to go through this and I am so unbelievably grateful for all the brave women that preceded me in this battle. So I put my faith in God, in my friends and in the healthcare system.

Leslie and Bobby Weed with Sue and Wayne Chattaway.

I have made it though, cancer free. Our little town of Jacksonville has been the perfect place for me to heal. I have met the kindest people – medical providers and staff, fellow patients and strangers who smiled and gave much needed complements when my bald, eyebrowless, eyelashless self needed them most. MD Anderson has been phenomenal! (shameless plug!) When I look at the variety of state license plates in the parking lot I realize how fortunate we are to have the best medical care right here.

My life changed forever on September 18, 2023. I know that I am so much luckier than so many others. I will always be grateful to my Army. And I will always volunteer to be a member of someone else’s Army when called upon. Life is precious and beautiful.

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One Response

  1. Wonderful read. Congratulations, Sue… for winning and thank you for the reminder to appreciate the beauty in life.

    -One of the Army of Ants

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