Moving forward: Donna Lusby’s battle with cancer

When Instructional Technology Coordinator Donna Lusby was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer, she had no idea what her future would look like. However, over the past six months, Lusby’s journey has transpired in one of the most pleasant ways possible given her position.

“I was very lucky I caught my breast cancer early,” Lusby said. “I had 2 surgeries within 7 days to remove the breast cancer, and in June, I began 35 radiation treatments.”

According to nationalbreastcancer.org, Stage 1 breast cancer is categorized by the evidence of cancer, but it is contained to only the area where the first abnormal cells began to develop. This means that the cancer has not spread and can be effectively treated.

“My cancer journey continued in July when, during a routine scan, my doctor discovered I had thyroid cancer,” Lusby said. “My thyroid was removed at the end of July, and I went through a radioactive iodine treatment in August.”

These procedures do not come cheap. To help the Lusby family pay for these surgeries and treatments, the basketball team has decided to donate money.

“For the last eight years, the basketball team has participated in a fundraiser to donate money to cancer research foundations,” head basketball coach Kyle Heremma said. “Each athlete shoots 100 free throws, and they get pledges for every free throw they make.”

This fundraiser is called the Shoot-a-Thon, and is done annually in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For a relatively small community, a big difference has been made. as the basketball team has raised more than $30,000 for cancer research.

“The first seven years, the money went to the Jimmy V. Foundation, but last year we gave it to Mr. Stallings,” Heremma said. “This year, since we like the fact that it’s going to somebody we know rather than a big corporation, we are giving the money to Mrs. Lusby, who found out she had both breast and thyroid cancer last spring.”

On top of going through countless doctors’ appointments and treatments, Lusby also has to be a caretaker for her children.

“I love celebrating October as breast cancer awareness month in honor of my mom,” sophomore Mallory Lusby said. “She is such a strong and brave woman. I’m so proud of her and all the stuff she has been through. I wouldn’t want anyone else to be my mom.”

Lusby has taken her situation and powered through it.

“The past 6 months have been a challenge,” Lusby said. “I am forever blessed with my incredibly strong and wonderful children, Ryan (LHS ’11), a senior at A&M Commerce, Bryce (LHS ’14), a freshman at Texas Tech, and Mallory, a sophomore at LHS, extraordinary friends, and the overwhelmingly heartfelt support of our awesome Lovejoy family.”