Stories of Strength: Betty and Danna Davis share their story

OAK HILL, WV (WVNS) — October is breast cancer awareness month. To celebrate 59News is sharing an inspiring story of courage and resilience.

A local mother and daughter each fought with breast cancer. The battle not only transformed their lives, but shed light on the importance of having a strong support system.

Danna Davis was scheduled to have her annual mammogram in October of 2009. Due to a conflict of dates she was forced to reschedule for two months later. However, it turned out to be a stoke of good luck as doctors were able to detect early signs of breast cancer that December.

“[H]e said, ‘well I can tell you right now with the reading as high yours [that] you have malignant breast cancer, stage one.’ And I was just like, ‘huh?’ You know, I was just stunned. Later on, he told me if I had not gone to get my mammogram later or if I would have had it in October, it wouldn’t have shown up,” said Danna.

Danna went through 12 weeks of chemotherapy, but, unfortunately, developed an infection that forced doctors to start her 24 weeks of treatment all over again.

“I didn’t cry the whole time because of the whole thing. I felt like I was happening to somebody else. I just got very frustrated and very, very upset, but you got to do what you got to do to get healthy,” Danna told 59News.

Almost a year to the day after Danna’s diagnosis, she took her mom Betty to the same doctor. This time the bad news was for Betty.

“She also has stage one cancer in her left breast, which mine was the same. She would sit there [and] go ‘why are you crying?’ But I cried because of her – because she was my mom, you know,” Danna added.

The next few months were the most challenging, but they leaned on their faith at First Presbyterian Church of Oak Hill… and they leaned on family.

“We got through it together. We kind of leaned on each other during the whole time, and I don’t know what I would have done without her,” said Betty.

Betty is now 95 and Danna is recently retired. They have both been cancer free ever since.

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