Pine Belt cancer survivors share stories to inspire others

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - Two Pine Belt women are speaking out about how faith, family and dedicated physicians helped them beat breast cancer.

Martha Gray, of Purvis, and Anita McSwain, of Petal, are telling their survival stories in hopes of inspiring other cancer patients in their fight against the disease.

Gray is a nine-year cancer survivor, while McSwain has been cancer-free for 18 years.

Both say they overcame the disease because they had people who supported and cared for them. They also had faith.

“First of all, I had God first and then my family, and then God led the doctors to do what they had to do, so I had all that with me. So, that was good. That was great,” said Gray.

“It all worked together. Good doctors, my faith in God, my husband with all his support and my family,” said McSwain.

Gray and McSwain hope they can be positive examples for other cancer patients and want to encourage them to never give up their fight.

“I felt like I need to let other people know that it’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s a shocking thing, but just have that faith that God is going to get you through it,” McSwain said.

“Have your support group. Y’all can go through this. Y’all can make it through it. You just can’t give up. You just have to keep going. Don’t ever give up. You might give in, but never give up, and you’ll be alright,” Gray said.

Both Gray and McSwain say their cancer fights made them stronger people.

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